Glendale Charter Review Committee
Formed to deliberate generational reforms to the Glendale City Charter — including transitioning from at-large to district elections under the CVRA, directly electing the Mayor, expanding the Council, and establishing fiscal guardrails.
Key Reform Topics Under Consideration
Issues requiring City Council approval and subsequent voter ratification.
At-Large vs. District Elections
Evaluating compliance under the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). Moving to geographic districts provides complete statutory immunity against costly racially-polarized voting lawsuits.
Directly Elected Mayor
Weighing whether Glendale residents should directly vote for Mayor on a citywide ballot, replacing the historic 1-year internal rotation among the 5 councilmembers.
Fiscal & Transparency Guardrails
Watchdog civic advocates (including Herbert Molano) urged the committee to expand beyond election mechanics to address Glendale's $18,000/household pension and bond obligations.
Audited Committee Meetings
Full transcripts with audio/video timestamp sync, minutes comparison, and roll-call votes.
Charter Review Committee — January 16, 2025 Inception
6 diarized participants · 3 roll-call votes
Charter Review Committee — February 6, 2025 Session
6 diarized participants · 3 roll-call votes
Charter Review Committee — March 6, 2025 Audit
6 diarized participants · 5 roll-call votes
Charter Review Committee — Special Audit Session 2026
6 diarized participants · 3 roll-call votes
Appointed Committee Members
12 Glendale resident volunteers appointed by the City Council to recommend charter amendments.
Elected Chair (7-5) on Jan 16, 2025. Background in municipal law.
Former Glendale Police Chief; elected Vice Chair on Feb 6, 2025.
Advocate for public outreach transparency and Brown Act notice.
Focused on public notification expansion and resident communications.
Raised cumulative voting and voting system mechanics with LA County.
Advocated for modern civic outreach and educational media reels.
Examined historical council report materials on directly elected mayor.
Active participant in governance and district election discussions.
Representing community viewpoints on civic representation.
Participant in city charter structural reform deliberations.
Examining fiscal implications and municipal service standards.
Reviewing legal boundaries and civic participation models.