August 26, 2025 Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes 
City Charter Amendment 
Resident Advisory Committee  
Regular Meeting 
 
August 26, 2025 | 5:00 p.m. 
Council Chambers Conference Room 
88 E. Chicago St., Chandler, AZ 
 
 
Call to Order 
The meeting was called to order by Chair Lopez at 5:00 p.m.  
 
Roll Call 
Commission Attendance  
 
 
 
Staff Attendance 
Chair René Lopez  
 
 
 
 
Ryan Peters, Deputy City Manager 
Committee Member Brad Davis  
 
 
Jen Winkler, Assistant City Attorney  
Committee Member Heather Anguiano 
 
Jennifer Ekblad, Deputy City Clerk 
 
Committee Member Ursula Gordwin 
Committee Member Sherida McMullan 
Committee Member Lisa Askey  
Committee Member Jim Jurnak 
Committee Member Jennifer Pawlik 
Committee Member Allison Stewart 
 
Consent Agenda and Discussion 
1.  
August 2025 City Charter Amendment Resident Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes 
Move City Charter Amendment Resident Advisory Committee approve the meeting minutes 
of the August 13, 2025, Regular Meeting. 
 
Consent Agenda Motion and Vote 
Committee Member Jurnak moved to approve the Consent Agenda of the August 26, 2025, City 
Charter Amendment Resident Advisory Committee Meeting; Seconded by Committee Member 
Pawlik.

Page 2 of 8 
 
Motion carried unanimously (9-0). 
 
Discussion 
2.  
Discussion and Consideration of Potential Revisions to Charter Article II, City Council; Article 
III, City Manager; Article IV, Administrative Departments; Article V, Finance and Taxation; 
and Article VI, Boards and Commissions 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK made comments regarding the difference between an ordinance 
and a resolution. The ordinances are the law of the city, while resolutions certify Council’s 
decisions. He stated he is opposed to charter amendments that changes something currently 
required by ordinance to be changed to a different method. He brought up the use of the word 
“contract” in the charter, and noted that the language should be inclusive of all types of contracts 
the city may enter into, not just intergovernmental agreements.  
 
CHAIR LOPEZ confirmed that these notes have been taken and information drafted by staff will 
return for consideration at a later date.  
 
CHAIR LOPEZ introduced the item and called for a staff presentation. 
 
RYAN PETERS, Deputy City Manager, presented the following presentation.  
• City Charter Amendment Resident Advisory Committee 
• Agenda 
• Article II. City Council, 2.07 – 2.08 
• Requirements of Other Charter Cities 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER PAWLIK asked if in section 2.07 referring to the procedure of public hearing, 
if “e-newspapers” must be mentioned separately. 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER STEWART asked if the proposal would be to require inclusion within e-
newspapers or allow inclusion within e-newspapers. 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER PAWLIK stated the proposal would be to allow publication of public hearing 
notices in e-newspapers.   
 
MR. PETERS explained that it is interpreted that publication is at minimum in a newspaper but 
typically notices such as this are also published electronically. If the goal is to be more permissive, 
the word “newspapers” can be removed.  
 
JENNIFER EKBLAD, Deputy City Clerk, cautioned that some public notice requirements are 
governed by statute. More research may be needed to ensure compliance with state law.

Page 3 of 8 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER GORDWIN suggested that language in the charter could be changed to read 
“notice of such hearing shall be published in compliance with statute.”  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER STEWART mentioned with the quick pace of changing technology, the 
terminology of newspapers may no longer be appropriate.   
 
CHAIR LOPEZ suggested “publishing in a public notice” as the verbiage used, to remove the 
specificity of newspapers. 
 
MR. PETERS said as long as that change would comply with state law, staff can investigate it.  
 
MS. EKBLAD said staff will research state statute and return with more information.  
 
CHAIR LOPEZ confirmed that no matter what changes are suggested, the charter must comply 
with state statute.  
 
MR. PETERS continued with 2.08, the proposed update is to authorize the creation, organization, 
and assignment of duties to City Offices and Departments by resolution. 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK stated that he is opposed to removing the ability for Council to 
create, organize, and assign duties to City Offices and Departments by ordinance as proposed.  
 
CHAIR LOPEZ said the final language will be discussed by the committee after reviewing the full 
charter. Any and all changes occurring presently in the city will require change by ordinance. This 
may allow the streamlining of organizational change with Council oversight.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER GORDWIN requested to remove double negatives in the charter language 
for clarity.  
 
MR. PETERS continued the presentation.  
• Article II. City Council, 2.09-2.12 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK asked if the reference footnotes in the charter document must be 
kept in.  
 
JENNY WINKLER, Assistant City Attorney, explained the publisher of the code includes those to 
indicate recent amendments of the charter.  
 
MS. EKBLAD continued that the publisher is called Municode, they codify ordinances that go into 
the code and the charter. It is a standard practice to give reference for the history of amendments.

Page 4 of 8 
 
CHAIR LOPEZ noted in the City Attorney section 2.09 (b) the phrase “time to time” is used. He 
suggested removing it for consistency and clarity.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER ANGUIANO asked if the cause of removal of the City Magistrate as noted in 
section 2.09 (c) must be specific.  
 
CHAIR LOPEZ said no. 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK asked why the term of the City Magistrate is for two years.  
 
MR. PETERS answered that the two-year term is intended to keep the judiciary independent from 
the cycle of councilmembers.   
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER MCMULLAN asked about the ease of scheduling the public hearing process 
in the deadline provided in section 2.09.  
 
MR. PETERS said it is easy to call a public hearing.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK commented that sections 2.10 and 2.11 should be listed after the 
section 2.12 to improve clarity and flow of the overall charter article. He commented that a super 
majority vote of five councilmembers required in section 2.11 which is rare.  
 
MR. PETERS read a prior suggestion for section 2.12 was to reduce the requirement for Council to 
meet at least twice per month. This recommendation did not move forward and it is not being 
considered at this time.  
 
MR. PETERS continued the presentation.  
• Article II. City Council, 2.13-2.14 
• Requirements of Other Charter Cities 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK asked about adding language to section 2.13 noting that “the intent 
of the council as shown by the legislative history and the record shall govern.” 
 
MR. PETERS explained the proposed update in section 2.13 is to eliminate the ordinance 
requirements and instead authorize City Manager based on the necessity of operations; or 
authorize by resolution rather than by ordinance. These changes would be implemented only for 
specific actions by ordinance such as change or eliminating a city department, lease city land and 
property for 3 years or more, and creating or changing fire limits.  
 
CHAIR LOPEZ asked about 2.13 (l), providing for establishing or changing fire limits and asked for 
clarification on this requirement.

Page 5 of 8 
 
MR. PETERS explained the city establishes the fire service area by ordinance. There are some areas 
within the city limits that are not part of Chandler, such as county islands. County island parcels 
located within the Chandler build plan are covered under the service agreement between the 
CCIFD and the City of Chandler for Fire and EMS (Emergency Medical Service) services. Police 
services are provided by Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. There are no anticipated changes to the 
fire limits of Chandler but the consideration could be to allow change by City Manager, or by 
resolution.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER PAWLIK asked if section 2.13 (c) needed to be reworded to allow Council to 
create, modify, and repeal taxes.  
MS. WINKLER explained that section 2.13 (i) covers this, as it reads “Amend or repeal any ordinance 
previously adopted, except as otherwise provided in Article VIII of this Charter, with respect to 
repeal of ordinances reconsidered under the referendum power.” 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK brought up section 2.13 (g) for lease of land for a period of three 
years or more and asked if there is a maximum length of years a contract or lease can be executed 
for and what happens if there is a lease period of less than three years.  
 
MS. WINKLER explained that City Manager is authorized to lease city land and property for three 
years or less, and there is no maximum.  
 
MR. PETERS summarized that the intent behind some of the changes to this section was associated 
with increasing the speed of business.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK noted that oversight over this action is important to consider. He 
asked why section 2.13 (h) is marked as reserved. He shared that section 2.13 (k) regarding 
appropriation results in a large value of reserved funds.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER STEWART commented that it is a large amount of discretionary funds. She 
asked about the typical non-budgeted expenditure amount.  
 
MR. PETERS explained that any appropriation above $99,999 goes to Council for approval. Use of 
reserve funds must be approved by Council.  
 
MS. WINKLER added she interpreted this section to mean that if the Council wants to make an 
appropriation above this certain amount that has not been made in the budget, it must be done 
by ordinance. Staff can return with more context regarding a scenario in which this may have 
occurred.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK suggested adding a new section in 2.13, requiring Council to adopt 
a code of ethics and conflict of interest requirements by ordinance.

Page 6 of 8 
 
MR. PETERS continued the presentation.  
• Article II. City Council, 2.15 
• Requirements of Other Charter Cities 
 
MR. PETERS presented the proposed update to streamline the process of adopting ordinances to 
one action, one publication. Publication by title with the agenda, and then full publication as soon 
as practicable after adoption. This would be in effect for only certain types of ordinances such as 
zoning cases. This update was suggested to increase the speed of business for certain items by 
ordinance.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER ASKEY noted that newspaper publishing requirements are also listed in 
section 2.15 and emphasized making the language consistent across the charter.  
 
MR. PETERS continued the presentation.  
• Article II. City Council, 2.16-2.18 
 
CHAIR LOPEZ commented that there is no expiration of an emergency ordinance as listed in the 
charter.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER STEWART asked if an expiration for emergency ordinances was 
implemented in city code due to COVID-19. 
 
MR. PETERS said that is true, there is language in the current City Code that declares that the need 
for the emergency proclamation will be reviewed at a regularly scheduled Council meeting every 
month after issuance until the proclamation expires or is repealed.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK spoke about the language in section 2.18 regarding the codification 
of ordinances and asked if this practice needs updating.  
 
MS. EKBLAD explained that there is an electronic version of the municipal code, but per the 
charter, code supplements must be kept in a loose-leaf hard copy form as well. Currently in 
addition to that, there are some copies used by city staff, and one copy at the Arizona State Library 
and one copy at the Maricopa County Law Library.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER STEWART emphasized the importance of backup copies and a contingency 
plan for these records in case of emergency.  
 
MS. EKBLAD said she would look into state records law to see if there were any specific 
requirements.  
 
MR. PETERS continued the presentation.  
• Article III. City Manager, 3.01-3.03

Page 7 of 8 
 
 
CHAIR LOPEZ asked about the use of “fix” instead of “set” in section 3.01 reading “The Council shall 
appoint a city manager for an indefinite term and fix his compensation.” 
 
MS. WINKLER said changes to Article III of the charter are considered in the proposed Proposition 
411 going to the November 2025 election.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER ASKEY said the ballot language for Proposition 411 contains gendered 
language. She asked how that could be fixed later. 
 
MS. WINKLER said the proposition had to be drafted in accordance with current charter language. 
If the charter amendment is approved, then it may be revisited and changed after the November 
2025 election.  
 
MR. PETERS continued the presentation.  
• Article III. City Manager, 3.04 
• Article IV. Administrative Departments, 4.01-4.02 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER PAWLIK asked for an explanation for the language in section 4.01 (b) 
reading “the manager may serve as the head of one or more such departments, offices or 
agencies.” 
 
MR. PETERS explained that the intent behind this is that in case of a vacancy, the City Manager can 
act in an acting department director role or appoint a temporary acting director to serve as 
department director.  
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER PAWLIK asked about the definition of “fitness” in section 4.02 (a).  
 
MS. WINKLER said she interpreted it to mean fitness to perform the duties of the role. 
 
MR. PETERS continued the presentation.   
• Article IV. Administrative Departments, 4.03 
• Article V. Finance and Taxation, 5.01-5.03 
• Article V. Finance and Taxation, 5.04-5.05 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK commented that the 15-day deadline listed in section 5.03 sets a 
tight turnaround to submit the budget to Council.  
 
MR. PETERS described that the budget process is established by state statute. The city’s practice 
is to adopt the final budget well in advance of the deadline; however, this sets the minimum 
deadline needed.

Page 8 of 8 
 
• Article V. Finance and Taxation, 5.06-5.08 
 
COMMITTEE MEMBER JURNAK asked for an explanation of section 5.08 regarding the transfers of 
appropriations.  
 
MS. WINKLER said the City Manager has the authority to transfer funds within city departments, 
while the City Council has the authority to transfer funds between city departments.  
 
MR. PETERS continued the presentation.  
• Article V. Finance and Taxation, 5.09-5.11 
• Article V. Finance and Taxation, 5.12-5.13 
• Article V. Finance and Taxation, 5.14 
• Article VI. Boards and Commissions, 6.01 
• Questions? 
 
Calendar 
3. 
The next Regular Meeting date, time, and location will be determined at the meeting. 
 
The committee consensus was that the next regular meeting will be held on September 11, 2025, 
at 4:30 p.m. in the Chandler City Council Chambers Conference Room, pending location 
availability.  
 
Public Comment 
None.  
 
Adjourn 
The meeting was adjourned at 6:40 p.m. 
 
______________________________ 
 
 
 
______________________________ 
Ryan Peters, Staff Liaison                                                René Lopez, Chair