Pass: 1710 / 66.88% Yes votes ...... 847 / 33.12% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Impartial Analysis from City Attorney

Measures A, B and C have been placed on the ballot to ask the voters whether they want to establish an elected Mayor of the City of Ojai. Ojai is governed by a five-member City Council. Pursuant to long-standing City Council policy, the Council annually selects one of its members to serve as Mayor for the next year.

Current Powers and Duties of the Mayor
Under City Council policy, the Mayor serves as the presiding officer of Council meetings, coordinates the agenda with the city manager and performs certain ceremonial functions. Under State law, the Mayor also has limited administrative duties of signing Council approved contracts, resolutions and ordinances.

According to the Ojai Municipal Code, the Mayor has the power to appoint members of boards and commissions, with the approval of the City Council. By practice approved by the City Council, the Mayor nominates persons together with members of an ad hoc committee and the City Council confirms the appointments.

Under the Ojai Municipal Code, the Mayor receives the same compensation as the rest of the City Council.

Measures A, B and C
State law requires that three separate but related questions be presented to the voters on the question of creating an elected Mayor.

Those questions are as follows:

Measure A -- "Shall the electors elect a mayor and four city councilmembers?"
Measure B -- "Shall the term of office of mayor be two years?"
Measure C -- "Shall the term of office of mayor be four years?"

If Measure A is passed, the newly created office of elected Mayor will replace one of the existing Council seats beginning at the next general election in November of 2016. Measures B or C will determine whether the term of office of the elected Mayor will be two years or four years. The measure with the higher number of "yes" votes will prevail.

Qualifications, Powers and Duties of an Elected Mayor
Qualifications for office of elected Mayor will be the same as for a Councilmember. The elected Mayor would still be a member of the City Council and maintain the same powers and duties as the currently appointed Mayor. The elected Mayor would have no additional administrative powers.

The elected Mayor would continue to draw the same salary established for Council members, unless a different amount is approved by the electorate or City Council at a later time. Under state law, the elected Mayor would have the right to make appointments to boards and commissions, subject to the approval of the Council, although the elected Mayor would also have the option of continuing the current ad hoc committee nomination process.

The measure was placed on the ballot by a vote of the City Council.