Lakewood Charter Change: Issue 70

 approved a proposal in July that includes eight changes to the city's Second Amended Charter. 

Those  are now headed for the Nov. 8 ballot, where voters will decide whether they approve.

Issue 70 is a proposed amendment that would give the city some flexibility regarding the posting of official notices.

The question on the ballot: 

Shall Article III, Section 12, Publication, of the Second Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood be amended to give the City more flexibility in determining how and where to post notices of official city actions?

The charter currently reads: 

ARTICLE III. THE COUNCIL

Section 12. Publication.

The Council may prescribe the manner of giving public notice of the enactment of any and all ordinances, resolutions or other acts, procedures, statements, including financial statements, or reports required by law to be published or given; provided, however, that such manner prescribed by Council shall include posting copies thereof, for a period of not less than fifteen (15) days, in not less than five (5) of the most public places in the City, which places shall be determined by Council.

The charter would read: 

ARTICLE III. THE COUNCIL

Section 12. Publication.

The Council may prescribe the manner of giving public notice of the enactment of any and all ordinances, resolutions or other acts, procedures, statements, including financial statements, or reports required by law to be published or given; provided, however, that such manner prescribed by Council shall require that notice be given for a period of not less than fifteen (15) days.

Comment from Lakewood Law Director Kevin Butler: 

Currently, by ordinance, the five most public places in the city are outside the council office, a location outside the police station and at the three firehouses. That means the city publishes everything it must publish — council dockets, legislation passed, public notices and the like — in paper form and posts them at all five places.

Administrators report that citizens no longer come to the police station or firehouses to review these documents, making this charter change appropriate. If passed, this change would permit Council to shape the city’s publication provisions to include, for instance, postings on the city website — provided, however, there remains the expectation that the public be given enough notice to prepare for whatever change the municipality is proposing before the change is made.