The Aurora City Council’s Charter Review Ad Hoc Committee is considering potential changes to the City Charter, which would be presented to the full City Council and then, if approved by council, to Aurora voters. The committee encourages residents, business owners and other interested parties to attend one of two upcoming public hearings to share with the committee their thoughts and ideas on the City Charter in general, or on specific proposals that have come forward from the committee:
- Updating charter language to be gender-neutral (sponsored by Council Member Alison Coombs)
- Changing municipal elections to even-numbered years (sponsored by Council Member Juan Marcano)
- Removing the mandate for municipal elections to be non-partisan and establishing rules for vacancy committees (sponsored by Council Member Juan Marcano)
- Changing council members' positions from part-time to full-time (sponsored by Council Member Angela Lawson)
Voters approved the Aurora City Charter in 1961 following a Charter Convention, and the charter has been revised periodically through votes of the public. The charter governs such areas as form of municipal governance; municipal elections; Mayor and City Council powers, terms, salaries, responsibilities and qualifications; initiative and referendum process; city manager powers and duties; budget process and financial administration; and more.
Public hearings are scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, March 18, and 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, at the Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway (remote participation is available). More information about the specific proposals and about how to sign up to speak can be found at EngageAurora.org/CharterReview. Sign-up will also be available at the hearings, but advance sign-up is encouraged, and those signing up in advance will be called upon first. Each speaker will have 3 minutes to provide their comments. The meetings will be streamed on the city’s YouTube channel.
Charter proposals, if passed through City Council, could appear on the municipal ballot as soon as November 2023.
Those who cannot attend a hearing are able to provide online feedback at EngageAurora.org/CharterReview.