The Sweet Home City Council voted during its March 10 meeting to refer charter amendments to voters in the May election.
A Charter Review Committee held several meetings last year to review and propose changes to the city’s charter, which is essentially the city’s constitution defining its structure and procedures for the municipal government.
Many changes to the charter include basic housekeeping in the form of how things are worded, but more notable changes include council vacancies, unexcused absences, council ethics, length of position for a manager pro tem.
More specifically, proposed amendments include:
- Formatting updates throughout for readability and language modernization.
- Updated procedures for vacancies that may result from a mid-term councilor being elected mayor (new Section 2.1).
- Removal of requirement for city officers other than the city manager to be bonded that was contingent on separate ordinances (current Section 7).
- Clarification that eligibility for the office of councilor or mayor requires residency in the city for one year prior to election or appointment (new section 3.1).
- Changes the beginning of the term of office for mayor and councilor to the first day of January following the election, rather than the first Monday in January (new Section 3.3).
- Changes to how vacancies are handled (new Section 4.1), including:
- If the incumbent is elected to another city office (i.e. mayor).
- If the incumbent ceases to reside within city limits.
- If an incumbent has unexcused absences from council meetings for more than 30 days.
- Requires vacancies in elected offices in the first half of the term to be first offered to the two next highest vote-getters in the previous election before appointing anyone else (new Section 4.2).
- Allows a smaller council quorum in the event of three or more concurrent vacancies (new Section 5.2).
- Changes the title for president pro tem to council president (new Section 5.4).
- Requires at least four affirmative votes for hiring or firing council-appointed positions, filling council vacancies, land use decisions, utility rate changes, modifications to city code, approval of ordinances containing emergency clauses, or any disciplinary action toward a councilor or mayor (new Section 5.5).
- Requires a public comment period at all regular council meetings (new Section 5.6).
- Adds a section on council ethics and conflicts of interest, including requirements for enforcement (new Sections 5.7 and 5.8).
- Changes the bond requirement for the city manager from $10,000 to an amount set and approved by the City Council and changes the section on interference in administration to comply with state law (new Section 6.2).
- Removes a requirement to post ordinances in three or more places within the city for ten days after passage (new Section 7.3).
Full text of the proposed amendments and committee report are available at www.SweetHomeOR.gov.
The ballot title shall be “Amendments to Home Rule City Charter of Sweet Home,” posing the question “Shall the City of Sweet Home make updates to its existing home rule Charter?”
The summary is: This measure would update the city’s existing home rule charter. The Oregon
Constitution gives city voters the right to adopt and amend charters. Charters grant legal authority to cities and assign duties to city officials.
City of Sweet Home voters last amended the current charter with a small change in 2025 (electing a mayor); the last previous change was in 2015.
Proposed charter amendments include updated formatting; modernized language; updated procedures for vacancies in elected offices; requirement for four affirmative votes for hiring or firing, filling vacancies, land use decisions, utility rate changes, city code changes, approval of emergency-clause ordinances, or any disciplinary action for councilors or mayor; requirement for public comment period at all regular council meetings; added section on council ethics and conflicts of interest, including enforcement.
This measure was referred to the voters by the City Council based on recommendations of the Charter Review Committee. A “YES” vote amends the charter; the full version is available at www.SweetHomeOR.gov.
In other business:
- The council held a work session to review and discuss goal setting for fiscal year 2027.
- Mayor Susan Coleman recognized a young student, Henry Brewer, for his work with Raising Men Lawn Care Service, through which he mowed 50 lawns in 2024 for veterans, teachers, single moms and the like. Raising Men rewarded him with a new lawn mower and leaf blower for his service. Brewer said he plans to do it again.
- Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lagea Mull presented the annual chamber report.
- Bob Dalton, vice chair of the Community Health Committee, presented an annual report.