City Council to consider ballot measure to eliminate Elk Grove's directly elected mayor, establish term limits



During tomorrow night's meeting, the Elk Grove City Council will consider a proposal to place a measure on this November's general election ballot that would eliminate the city's directly elected mayor.

The item, which was placed on the May 13 agenda at the request of outgoing District 3 Councilmember Steve Detrick, could eliminate the city's directly elected mayor. Detrick's request came during the latest of ongoing discussions of terms limits for the mayor, city council members, and the planning commission.

At the last city council meeting, Detrick suggested asking Elk Grove voters to revert to the previous rotating system of one-year terms of each of the five councilmembers. Unlike the recent switch to by-district voting for councilmember, which was compelled by community advocacy and under threat of a costly voter rights lawsuit, there has been no outcry to revert to the previous rotating system.

With 78-percent in support In 2010, Elk Grove voters approved Measure K that established a directly elected mayor. Voters also choose to have the mayor's office be a two-year instead of a four-year term.

According to the staff report prepared by Elk Grove City Clerk Jason Lindgren, if the council placed a measure eliminating the elected mayor's position, and if it were approved by voters, it would be removed at the December 9, 2020 meeting. Regardless of who wins the mayoral race, including incumbent Steve Ly or any of the current three challengers, they would not be seated as mayor or council member.

Because the city is a California general law city, there would then be one vacancy that would have to be filled either by appointment or by calling a special election. Also, before the fifth council member was placed either by appointment or a special election,  a fifth district would need to be established.  

Complicating matters for the city council is that in addition to establishing a new district, by law, the city would again redraw districts for the 2022 elections based on the 2020 U.S. Census results. The city could conceivably redraw districts twice in less than 18 months. 

In addition to discussing eliminating the directly elected mayor, the city council will discuss ballot measures that would change the mayor's term from two to four years and establishing term limits for the city council and mayor positions.  

Tomorrow's meeting starts at 6 p.m. and will be open to the public via Zoom. More information on how to view the meeting is available here.

Copyright by Elk Grove News © 2020. All right reserved.










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5 comments

D.J. Blutarsky said...

If this shift back to a rotating Mayor passes in November, does this mean the custom-designed Mayor logo shirts Steve Ly has will be declared as surplus and auctioned off? Could be a good revenue source!

Spoons and Forks said...

Steve Detrick's call for term limits and his lust to eliminate the directly elected mayor a combination of a petulant child and sour grapes.

He is like the bratty kid who doesn't want anyone to have more than him, so he'll push for two terms. Steve Detrick isn't leaving office out of some altruistic philosophy, or believe in term limits. Like a coward, he's departing because even with is limited intellectual capabilities, he'll get his butt kicked in a by-district election, and to make matters worse for this guy who likes picking girls for the prom, there was a good chance he would be defeated by a woman. His fragile ego could not withstand that.

The sour grapes for the directly elected mayor stem from the fact he is sore that he served only once as mayor in his 12 years on the city council. As another commenter reminded us, Detrick dared to nominate himself for a second term as mayor. Talk about an inflated sense of importance!

OK, Randy, you are cleared to come to the defense of your good friends Steve Detrick.....10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5....

Eye on Elk Grove said...

When it comes to Steve Detrick, hubris, the Greeks tell us, can be the final downfall of the mighty, especially the mighty whose most salient trait is extreme arrogance.

As I am sure that Detrick thinks he is also "a very stable genius!"

Drop the mic!

Randy Bekker said...

Forks an Spoons, I am still waiting to deliver your apology to the Chairman of the Wilton Rancheria. I think your candidate’s will have a hard time breaking through no matter who they run against. I don’t need to defend Steve he is a big Boy an can take care of himself. I think the big fuss is Ly is the water boy to the Progressives an you would hate seeing the office of the mayor to go back to a revolving mayor. It would take all the politics out of the office. The mayor as a council member would actually have to represent citizens instead of his Progressive political buddies. Term limits will keep the city moving in the right direction so it doesn’t get taken over like what is happening in our state politics. Like it or not there needs to be a balance of citizens from all walks of life including Republicans.

Jacquelyn Canoose said...

The idea of a four-year-term instead of two is a great idea as I addressed at a City Council meeting in the past. It will save the city time and money. Also, in a two-year-term, the Mayor has the first year to acclimate him/herself. The second year is distracted by the next election should that be an option. The rest of this discussion, I am reserving my comments until the meeting tomorrow night. My thoughts will be read there.

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