Agenda Date: 04/08/2025
Subject:
Title
Charter Review Committee process and potential ballot measures
Body
From:
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager
Prepared by:
Colleen L. Norton, City Clerk
Presentations:
Colleen L. Norton, City Clerk
PURPOSE:
To review the process for convening a Charter Review Committee (CRC), based on council direction.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
High-Quality Governance
DISCUSSION:
Charter Review Committee:
The Littleton City Charter, Sec. 124, directs that council shall periodically appoint/convene a Charter Review Committee to perform a comprehensive review of all charter sections and make recommendations to council for amendments and deletions; it has been more than 10 years since a Charter Review Committee was convened.
The CRC shall serve in an advisory capacity to council, reviewing existing charter sections and making recommendations to council on revisions based on best practices in similar municipalities, any adopted legislation that now makes a section(s) contradictory, or other clean-up as needed.
As no home rule charter can be amended without a vote of the registered electors, any recommendations that may come before council on which council wants to act, will need to be directed to a ballot. The proposed time frame outlined below would allow sufficient time for a CRC to be convened and for city staff to begin conducting community outreach on charter review with ample time to place any ballot measures arising as a result of the review process on the November 3, 2026, ballot.
* Council will call for the creation of a CRC, by resolution, at a regular meeting: proposed date April 15.
* Once convened, each council member shall provide to the city clerk not-less-than two (2) names of citizens, or other greater number as determined by resolution.
* The city clerk shall prepare an agenda item for the next regularly scheduled meeting of council for approval of names submitted and to formally create the CRC: proposed date May 6.
* Following the establishment of the CRC, and notification to all members, the city clerk, with representatives from the City Attorney's office and City Manager's office, shall create a meeting schedule for the committee. Meetings shall be held at least once monthly, twice monthly when/if necessary, for a duration of eight (8) months, culminating in December 2025.
o City staff from the clerk's office, attorney's office, manager's office, and the Communications Department will coordinate community outreach and education throughout the process to ensure that all citizens are informed and have an opportunity to attend meetings and engage.
* In January 2026, city staff and the CRC will bring initial recommended charter changes to council at a study session along with any feedback and/or data received as a result of community outreach and engagement.
* Based on council direction resulting from the January 2026 study session, staff will strengthen community outreach and education on recommendations council may want to move forward to the ballot in November.
* Deadlines to include any ballot question for the November 3, 2026, election:
o First reading of an ordinance/s: August 18, 2026
o Second reading and public hearing: September 1, 2026
o Ballot content certified to the coordinating counties: September 4, 2026 (60 days prior to the election)
Potential Ballot Measures for 2025:
Should council wish to place anything on the ballot for the November 4, 2025, coordinated election, key dates to keep in mind are:
* July 15, 2025 - last meeting day for council to refer ballot measures on first reading without convening a special meeting
* August 19, 2025 - last meeting day for council to refer ballot measures on second reading and public hearing without convening a special meeting
* September 5, 2025 - last day for the clerk to certify ballot content to the county/ies
BACKGROUND:
The City Charter was adopted in 1959 with the last comprehensive review by a Charter Review Committee conducted in 2013/2014. At the culmination of several months of meetings, 30 recommendations were brought forward to council for review and action. Of those, 10 were moved forward as ballot measures in the next coordinated municipal election.
Per the City Charter, the committee shall consist of 14 members, all registered electors of the city, or a greater number if council deems that appropriate. The last CRC convened in 2013/2014 consisted of 14 members, with each council member placing two (2) citizens on the committee.
Prior Actions or Discussions
N/A
FISCAL IMPACTS:
There will be a cost associated with any community outreach and education council wishes the city to participate in. The total cost is dependent on the level of outreach and whether the city engages an outside source to assist. No monies have been budgeted for 2024 for this specific purpose.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends council provide direction to bring forth a resolution at the April 15, 2025, regular meeting, calling for the creation of a Charter Review Committee.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Create and convene a Charter Review Committee for purposes of reviewing the City Charter with intent to update as necessary with a goal of placing recommendations on the November 3, 2026, ballot.
2. Do not create a Charter Review Committee, leaving the City Charter as-is, with sections that are out-of-date and, in some cases, in direct conflict with statutes.