§ 1504. EXPANSION OF COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP.  


Latest version.
  • (a)

    At such time as the population of the City of Fresno reaches 650,000, the Council shall establish a public review process to consider adding two Council offices to the Council designated as Councilmember Number 8 and Councilmember Number 9. For making a determination as to whether the 650,000 population figure has been reached, the City shall utilize census data from the Demographic Research Unit of the State Department of Finance issued annually on May 1st or a similarly reliable source of population figures in the event the Demographic Research Unit no longer provides such information. Within 180 days of receipt of validated population figures evidencing this population total, the Council shall commence the public review process. Once that is completed, Council shall vote on whether to submit to the voters, a ballot measure adding two Council offices. If the measure receives a majority of votes cast, Council shall redraw the Council district boundaries, to reflect the two additional Council seats in accordance with the applicable laws.

    (b)

    The two seats shall be initially filled in the next regular municipal election held in which City offices are filled. Both Councilmember seats 8 and 9 shall be filled at said next regular municipal election. Thereafter, Councilmember seat number 8 shall be filled in the same electoral cycle as even-numbered Council seats and Councilmember seat number 9 shall be filled in the same electorial cycle as odd-numbered Council seats. Depending on when the election cycle for filling Councilmember seat numbers 8 and 9 falls, the initial term for one of the two seats shall be a two-year term.

    (c)

    At such time as the Councilmembers designated as Councilmember Number 8 and Councilmember Number 9 are installed in office the following provisions shall be deemed changed:

    (1)

    All provisions in this Charter for a requirement of an "affirmative vote of at least four members of the Council" or any similar language requiring four votes shall be deemed changed to require "affirmative vote of at least five members of the Council."

    (2)

    All provision of this Charter for a requirement of an "affirmative vote of at least five members of the Council" or any similar language requiring five votes shall be deemed changed to require "an affirmative vote of at least six members of the Council."

(Amendment ratified 1993 General Municipal Election, April 27, 1993; amendment ratified 2010 Consolidated Direct Primary Election, June 8, 2010.)