Vote YES on Measures
2‑143 · 2‑144 · 2‑145 · 2‑146

Compensation. The Council must authorize the compensation of City officers and employees as part of its approval of the City budget.

Record. A record of Council meetings must be kept in a manner prescribed by the Council rules and the laws of the state of Oregon.

In order to protect the fundamental form of government chosen by the voters, guard the power of the council as a body, defend against corruption, ensure transparency, and preserve the separation of authority set forth in this Charter between the manager’s administrative authority and the council’s general powers, no council member may actually coerce or attempt to coerce the manager or a candidate for the office of manager in the appointment or removal of any city employee, or in administrative decisions regarding city property or contracts. A violation of this prohibition is grounds for removal from office by a majority of the council after a public hearing. This prohibition does not apply in publicly noticed meetings, including but not limited to council or committee meetings, executive sessions, and work sessions.

City elections must conform to state law except as this Charter or ordinances provide otherwise. All elections for City offices must be nonpartisan.

The Council must adopt an ordinance prescribing the manner for a person to be nominated to run for mayor or a city councilor position.

The Charter will be liberally construed so that the City may exercise fully all powers possible under this Charter and under United States and Oregon law. The specific mention of particular powers in the Charter shall not be construed as limiting in any way the general power granted in this Section. This Charter’s interpretation shall be examined in its entirety. In this Charter no mention of a particular power, right, privilege, or immunity shall be construed to be exclusive or to restrict the scope of the powers, rights, privileges, or immunities which the City would have if the particular power was not mentioned.

(a) General. The Council will exercise its legislative authority by adopting ordinances. The enacting clause for all ordinances must state "The City of Corvallis ordains as follows:" (b) Ordinance Adoption. 1. Except as authorized by subsection (2), adoption of an ordinance requires approval by a majority of the Council at two meetings. 2. The Council may adopt an ordinance at a single meeting by the unanimous approval of at least a quorum of the Council, provided the proposed ordinance is available in writing to the public at least one week before the meeting. 3. Any substantive amendment to a proposed ordinance must be read aloud or made available in writing to the public before the Council adopts the ordinance at that meeting. 4. After the adoption of an ordinance, the vote of each member must be entered into the Council minutes. 5. After adoption of an ordinance, the City Recorder must endorse it with the date of adoption and the Recorder’s name and title.

(a) General. The Council will normally exercise its administrative authority by approving resolutions. The approving clause for resolutions may state "The City of Corvallis resolves as follows:" (b) Resolution Approval. 1. Approval of a resolution or any other Council administrative decision requires approval by the Council at one meeting. 2. Any substantive amendment to a resolution must be read aloud or made available in writing to the public before the Council adopts the resolution at that meeting. 3. After approval of a resolution or other administrative decision, the vote of each member must be entered into the Council minutes. 4. After approval of a resolution, the City Recorder must endorse it with the date of approval and the Recorder’s name and title. (c) Effective Date. Resolutions and other administrative decisions take effect on the date of approval or on a later day provided in the resolution.

(a) General. The Council will normally exercise its quasi-judicial authority by approving orders. The approving clause for orders may state "The City of Corvallis orders as follows:" (b) Order Approval. 1. Approval of an order or any other Council quasi-judicial decision requires approval by the Council at one meeting. 2. Any substantive amendment to an order must be read aloud or made available in writing to the public at the meeting before the Council adopts the order. 3. After approval of an order or other Council quasi-judicial decision, the vote of each member must be entered in the Council minutes. 4. After approval of an order, the City Recorder must endorse it with the date of approval and the Recorder’s name and title. (c) Effective Date. Orders and other quasi-judicial decisions take effect on the date of final approval, or on a later day provided in the order.

(a) The Mayor and each Councilor must be a qualified elector under state law and reside within the city for at least one year immediately before election or appointment to office. (b) No person may be a candidate at a single election for more than one City office. (c) Neither the Mayor nor a Councilor may be employed by the City. (d) The Council is the final judge of the election and qualifications of its members.

Except as specifically addressed here and in Section 34, a majority of the Council members is a quorum to conduct business. In the event of an absence, a smaller number may meet and compel attendance of absent members as prescribed by Council rules. In the event of a vacancy due to resignation or other events, the quorum is reduced accordingly solely for the purpose to make necessary appointment(s) to reach the required quorum as outlined in Section 34.

The express approval of a majority of a quorum of the Council is necessary for any Council decision, except when this Charter provides otherwise. The voting requirement to fill Council member vacancies, if there is less than a majority of council members remaining, is separate from the quorum requirement required to conduct all remaining City business unless otherwise stated.

Notwithstanding the quorum requirement set forth in Section 16, if at any time Council membership is reduced to less than five, the remaining members may, by majority action, appoint additional members to raise the membership to five. As little as a single Council member may constitute a majority for purposes of filling vacant Council seat(s) if all other Council seats are vacant, and the Mayor may vote and constitute a majority for purposes of filling vacant Council seats if all Council seats are vacant. a) The City Council must fill vacant positions on the City Council by appointment. Any ordinance establishing a process to fill vacant City Council positions must: 1. Fill any vacant position no later than 60 days after the vacancy is declared. 2. Invite nominations from the ward with the vacant position. 3. Interview nominees and hold a public hearing prior to the Council voting to make any appointment. b) If there is a vacancy in the office of Mayor which occurs 120 or more days prior to the first day of the new term, the vacancy must be filled by a City-wide special election within 60 days when possible, or at the next scheduled State election date thereafter. Should a vacancy occur leaving fewer than 120 days remaining in the term, the candidate who receives the most votes for that office in the regular election will assume office immediately upon validation of the vote.