148 / 21.17% Yes votes ...... 551 / 78.83% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Pursuant to state law, cities may determine to change how they select a mayor. Prior to 1981 the City of Ferndale selected their mayor from among the Council members. The City Council submitted to the electors the question of whether electors shall thereafter elect a mayor and four city councilmen, and whether the mayor shall serve a two-year or four-year term. The voters cast the majority of the ballots for a separately elected Mayor.

The City Council and the some citizens of the City of Ferndale have expressed a desire to have the mayor selected from among the Council. The City Council has requested that a measure be placed on the November 2004 ballot to determine the procedure of selecting the mayor. The City Council feels the selection of a mayor from among the Council will allow for more efficiency and better continuity in City government.

Government Code provides for changing how a City selects a mayor. The code is as follows:

Govt. Code Section 34902, subsection (b) After an office of elective mayor has been established, the city council may subsequently submit to the electors the question of whether or not to eliminate the elective office of mayor, pursuant to the procedures enumerated in this article, and thereby reestablish the procedure of selection of the mayor by the city council. If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition are in favor of the elimination of the office of elective mayor, the office shall be eliminated on the expiration date of the incumbent's term, and on the date the procedure of selection of the mayor by the city council shall be reestablished.

The code further states: Govt. Code Section 34901... The words "Yes" and "No" ... shall be so printed on the ballots that the voters may express their choice.

Discussion on the issue of changing how a mayor is selected in the City of Ferndale has been ongoing for some time. The Council wishes to determine how the majority of the voters feel about this issue. The question put to the voters will be: Shall the electors eliminate the office of mayor and thereby reestablish the procedure of selection of mayor by the City Council.

The measure to determine the procedure of selecting the mayor will need a majority of the voters to pass, requires 50% + 1 of the vote to pass.

Resolution 04-19, which puts the issue to vote of the citizenry on the November election, was passed at the City Council meeting on July 1, 2004.