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Ballot Measure 34-298
Beaverton Charter of 2021
Beaverton Charter of 2021 - PDF
About the City Charter
The Beaverton City Council referred a proposed city charter that was approved by Beaverton voters during the May 19, 2020 election. The Beaverton Charter of 2021 went into effect June 18, 2020, and becomes operational on January 1, 2021.
During the next several months, a series of next steps will guide implementation including community engagement to support recruitment of a full-time city manager, and preparations for the November 2020 election to fill a new council position and elect the Mayor.
What is a Charter? A city charter is like a constitution that outlines the principles, structures and process of government. Beaverton’s prior Charter was approved by voters in November 1980, and subsequently amended once in 2008 when voters changed a section relating to urban renewal.
Overview
The approved city charter outlines specifications to the city’s form of government, term limits and languages preferences, such as:
- The mayor will no longer be the city’s administrative head. Instead, the city council will appoint a full-time city manager to oversee the city’s day-to-day operations.
- The council will expand from five members to seven members: six part-time city councilors and one full-time mayor with voting privileges. The council will serve as the city’s governing body and be responsible for the city’s legislative functions. In addition to serving on the council, the mayor will serve as the city’s chief elected official.
- All council positions remain nonpartisan and elected at-large by Beaverton voters. The councilors and the mayor will be limited to three consecutive four-year terms in office for their respective positions.
- The new charter will no longer use gender-exclusive references.
Gráfico en español | Versión de texto
Text version of Government Roles & Responsibilities
The following questions and responses were prepared to assist city employees and residents with the role and functions of the new City Manager position. The last section describes several other significant changes following voter approval of the 2021 City Charter. In several cases, hyperlinks are provided to related documents that provide additional information. While some of the dates and processes specifically pertain to the hiring of an Interim City Manager, most of the information pertains to both the Interim City Manager as well as the person who will hold a regular appointment.
Interim City Manager Appointed
The City Council has appointed Kurt Wilson as Beaverton’s first Interim City Manager and newest member of the city’s management team. Kurt Wilson most recently served the City of Stockton, California, first as the Deputy City Manager and then as the City Manager. His local government employment began in 2006 and he has also served as an elected city councilor, Mayor pro-tem and commissioner.
The appointment is the next step in implementation of the new voter-approved city charter. The appointment follows a rigorous recruitment process that included community input and was facilitated with support from an outside firm to ensure best practices. The Interim City Manager will support the transition to the new city charter and the recruitment, selection and early onboarding of a full-time City Manager, which is expected to be completed in the first half of next year after further community engagement.
Watch the December 1, 2020 Social Hour
- What does the City Manager do? Is there anything exceptional in the job description?
- What does the City Manager do in a City Council meeting? Does the City Manager vote?
- The Mayor's job is still full-time. What are the Mayor's new responsibilities?
- Why did the city recruit for an Interim City Manager first? Why not proceed with making a regular appointment now?
- What is the recruitment process? How can people in Beaverton provide advice and input about the person who might be selected?
- Who selects the City Manager?
- Who would want to serve as Interim City Manager for six months or less?
- What positions directly report to the City Manager? Which positions do not? Will the new City Manager replace all the current department heads?
- What happens to the staff of the Mayor's Office?
- How will a seven-member City Council operate?
- Is the City Manager required to live in the city?
- What is the salary of the City Manager position? Does it include a car? Are they appointed for a fixed term?
- Are my property taxes going to go up because of this change?
- What other Oregon cities have a City Manager?
- I heard that Beaverton used to have a City Manager. What happened?
- If there is a disagreement between the Mayor and the City Manager, who prevails?
- Will the City Manager have a full-time Chief of Staff? With the decrease in duties and responsibilities, will the Mayor still have a full-time Chief of Staff?
- Why did the City Council propose a City Charter change and why did the community support it?
- What else is new in the 2021 City Charter?
- How will Charter changes impact the governance of the Beaverton Urban Redevelopment Agency (BURA)?
- Who will appoint the incoming board and commission members for the 2021 term with the new Council members and potential new Mayor? Will the appointments still take place in December 2020?
- After January 1, 2021 will the Mayor or City Manager or both be responsible for signing intergovernmental agreements?
- Under the new Charter, who determines when to close city buildings in the event of an emergency or inclement weather?
- In the Beaverton Code where it references the Mayor, how will that be adjusted?
- Are department heads granted any new authorities under the new Charter?
- How will staff have access to the City Manager?
- How will the City Council have access to staff under the new Charter?
Timeline
Text version of Implementation Timeline
Virtual Charter Information Sessions
Public Discussions
The Beaverton City Council held a series of public discussions, work sessions and hearings on the Beaverton Charter of 2021
Dec. 1, 2020 | Interim City Manager Candidates Social Hour | Agenda Item | Watch |
July 28, 2020 | City Manager Classification Specification and Compensation | Agenda Item | Watch |
June 23, 2020 | Work Session at City Council Meeting | Agenda Item | Watch |
March 3, 2020 | City Council Meeting (Voters Pamphlet Explanatory Text Action) | Agenda Item | Watch |
Feb. 11, 2020 | Resolution referring Charter measure to voters | Agenda Item | Watch |
Feb. 4, 2020 | Work Session at City Council Meeting | Agenda Item | Watch |
Jan. 28, 2020 | Second Public Hearing | Agenda Item | Watch |
Jan. 14, 2020 | First Public Hearing | Agenda Item | Watch |
Jan. 7, 2020 | Draft Charter presented to Beaverton City Council | Agenda Item | Watch |
Dec. 17, 2019 | Work Session at City Council Meeting | Agenda Item | Watch |
Dec. 3, 2019 | Work Session at City Council Meeting | Agenda Item | Watch |
Nov. 5, 2019 | Work Session at City Council Meeting | Agenda Item | Watch |
Oct. 15, 2019 | Work Session at City Council Meeting | Agenda Item | Watch |
Oct. 1, 2019 | Work Session at City Council Meeting | Agenda Item | Watch |
Sep. 10, 2019 | Work Session at City Council Meeting | Agenda Item | Watch |
Sep. 3, 2019 | Work Session at City Council Meeting | Agenda Item | Watch |
- What is a city charter?
- When was the existing city charter last adopted?
- How does the city charter get changed?
- Will there be a public vote?
- If approved by voters, when would the new charter take effect?
- What happens if the proposed city charter does not pass?
- If the measure passes, what would be the cost to tax payers?
- Why was the city charter referred to voters for consideration?
- What would the proposed city charter do?
- If the measure passes, would the position of mayor remain a full-time position?
- If the measure passes, would councilor positions remain part-time positions?
- What are the basic forms of government utilized by other Oregon cities?
- Was there a public process to receive input from Beaverton voters?
- How can Beaverton voters and community members get information about the proposed city charter?
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Phone: 503-526-2222
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