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San Bernardino officials mull city charter amendments
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See City charter Page 14
mark nation's 250th birthday
ourth of July celebrations recognizing America's 250th birthday are planned across Riverside County, with several that kicked off festivities Saturday in Menifee and Murrieta. The city of Menifee's traditional Independence Day Celebration took place Saturday in Wheatfield Park, 30627 Menifee Road, starting at 5 p.m. with a parade along La Piedra Road. "Menifee's Independence Day Celebration is one of our community's most anticipated events, and this year is especially meaningful as we celebrate America's
San Bernardino City Hall. | Photo courtesy of Amerique/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
"This proposal would be inconsistent with the Council-Manager form of government," according to Maldonado. "The City Council is the legislative body and needs to have nominating authority for the City Manager. The unilateral power to nominate is akin to having unilateral authority to hire. A single individual like the Mayor having unilateral nominating authority could deprive the legislative body from hiring a City Manager of their choice." Maldonado also raised questions about termination, which would mean the mayor's nomination for a new hire must follow termination of the existing manager that still requires a majority vote of the mayor and council members.
Celebrations in Riverside County
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body of the City Council would lose or be weakened in its legislative policy-making authority," Maldonado wrote. "This proposal would also potentially have impacts on administrative/executive power being removed from the City Manager which would need to be a part of a proposal if this is to be considered. An amendment to require policy reports from the city manager "is something the Charter could include and would be consistent with the Council-Manager form of government; the City Council could require such updates without Charter change," Maldonado counseled. Another proposed amendment seeks sole authority for the mayor to nominate a city manager candidate for eventual approval by the mayor and council.
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By City News Service
By Joe Taglieri embers of a San Bernardino committee are considering changes to the city's charter that would give more power to the mayor, according to a legal analysis of proposed amendments. In a June 9 memo to the Charter Review Committee released to the public last week, attorney Albert Maldonado from the firm Best Best and Krieger reported that six proposals aim to significantly change the city’s style of government and suggested the City Council step in to frame what committee members eventually vote on as official recommendations. "These proposals appear to potentially be inconsistent with the Committee’s purview and it is recommended, should you wish to do so, that Council authorization should be obtained prior to being considered," Maldonado wrote. "If you would like additional authority to consider proposed changes to the Charter that would include elements of a strong mayor system, in whole or in part, you may seek additional authority from the City Council." One proposed amendment calls for designating the mayor as the chief executive policy officer and requiring the city manager to submit quarterly reports on policy implementation. "This proposal seems to propose the Mayor as the chief, and only, policy officer (and) ... would be inconsistent with the CouncilManager form of government because the legislative
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An amendment for a mayoral "line-Item veto" would allow the mayor to reject specific items in the city's annual budget. "This proposal is in the gray area of the Council-Manager form of government," according to Maldonado. "A single individual like the Mayor having unilateral line-item veto power could overcome the will of the majority of the legislative body, the city council. "The three remaining proposals would not technically be inconsistent with the Council-Manager form of government, however I raise other practical concerns about them," he wrote. A proposed amendment for funding dedicated staff
250th birthday," Mayor Bill Estrada said in a statement ahead of the event. "We invite everyone to join us for an unforgettable night honoring our nation with live entertainment, family fun and fireworks!" Semiquincentennial festivities included the parade, a large variety of food and crafts vendors, beer garden, a kids' play zone with inflatable devices and music featuring the 11-piece band Phat Cat Swinger. Murrieta combined preIndependence Day festivities with a 35th Birthday Bash for the municipality,
See Fourth of July Page 27
Nature preserve starts phased reopening following wildfire By City News Service
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he largest trail coursing through the Hidden Valley Wildlife Area in Jurupa Valley reopened Saturday following almost a month of work to restore the path, which was damaged during a 1,473acre brush fire. The Santa Ana River Trail, which begins in San Bernardino County and ends at the sea in Orange County, had been closed to the public where its link runs through the Hidden Valley preserve since the last week of May. On Saturday morning
the Riverside County Regional Park and Open Space District, or RivCoParks removed all barriers to hikers and bicyclists, enabling free use of the pathway again, according to the agency. The reopening is part of a "phased" recovery effort stemming from impacts tied to the Bain Fire. "Hidden Valley Wildlife Area is one of Riverside County's most treasured natural resources, and its recovery will require the support of the entire community," RivCoParks General
See Nature preserve Page 27