Committee will recommend whether to change the Charter, which governs how Riverside is run

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The City of Riverside encourages registered voters who live within the city limits to apply for a position on the Charter Review Committee, which examines the document that governs how the City is run, and may recommend changes for consideration by the City Council. The deadline is Oct. 31.

“Serving on the Charter Review Committee is one of the highest forms of community service a voter can perform in Riverside,” Mayor Rusty Bailey said. “We need Riversiders to step forward and provide meaningful input to a document that is so crucial to the operation of our city.”

The City Charter is effectively Riverside’s version of the U.S. Constitution. It prescribes the number of elected officials, how and when they are elected, and that the City shall be governed by a Council-Manager form of government.  The Charter provides for appointment of City officers and several advisory boards and commissions, as well as the fiscal administration, management and control of the Department of Public Utilities.

A 15-member citizen advisory committee made up of registered voters of Riverside reviews the Charter every eight years and makes recommendations to the City Council regarding which, if any, Charter amendments should be placed on the ballot at the next regular municipal election for Mayor which will occur on June 2, 2020. The City Council decides whether amendments appear on the ballot.

Each City Councilmember directly appoints one member to the Charter Review Committee.  The Mayor directly appoints two at-large members. The six remaining at-large members and two alternates will be selected from applicants following interviews with the Mayor and City Council.

“We are fortunate in Riverside to have a Charter that governs how we want our city to operate,” Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Conder said. “It’s imperative that we conduct a thoughtful and comprehensive review, so we really need Riverside voters to be willing to make a real commitment to this process.”

The Charter Review Committee will begin meeting monthly in December and select a voting Chair from among its members. The work of prior Charter Review Committees suggests the process will take a year.

Residents interested to serve on the Charter Review Committee are encouraged to apply online at www.riversideca.gov\city_clerk or by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at 951-826-5557 or emailing city_clerk@riversideca.gov.

A copy of the current City Charter can be viewed online at www.riversideca.gov\city_clerk or you may obtain a copy by mail by calling the City Clerk’s Office.