Notice of Receipt of Ballot Title

Public Notice

City of Woodburn

Notice of Receipt of Ballot Title

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a ballot title for the measure referred by the Council of the City of Woodburn has been filed with the City’s Election Official on August 12, 2025.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, an election will be held in the City of Woodburn, Marion County, Oregon.  The Election will be conducted by mail.  The following question will be submitted to the qualified voters of the City:

CAPTION: 

City of Woodburn Charter Modernization Amendment

 QUESTION:

Shall the City of Woodburn amend the existing Charter to modernize, update, and clarify Charter provisions?

SUMMARY:

The Woodburn Charter establishes the governmental structure for the City. This measure amends the City of Woodburn Charter of 1982.

 Amendments to the Charter would be as follows:

• Change the City Administrator title to City Manager, modify certain powers and duties allocated between the Manager and Mayor, authorize the Council to waive the City Manager residency requirement, and grant appointment and removal authority to the Manager Pro Tem;
• Change the election of the Council President to the first meeting in January following the biennial election;
• Add an emergency contingency for regular Council meetings;
• Add a restriction that to qualify for elected office, such person cannot be a spouse or immediate family member of a regular full-time City employee;  
• Modernize text to closely mirror the current League of Oregon Cities Model Charter;
• Remove sections that are not legally enforceable or are covered by state statute; and
• Remove gender specific or binary pronouns.

This measure was referred to the voters by the Woodburn City Council based on the recommendation of the Charter Review Committee.

Pursuant to ORS 250.296 any elector dissatisfied with this ballot title may file a petition for review of this ballot title in Marion County Circuit Court no later than 5:00pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2025. Petitions must be filed in accordance with the requirements of ORS 250.296. Any elector that files a petition must notify the City Elections Official in writing by 5:00pm on the day following the day the petition was filed. The Agenda Packet containing the staff report that was approved by the City Council referring this matter to the ballot is available on the City’s website: https://woodburn-or.gov or by contacting the City Recorder at (503) 980-6318.

Heather Pierson

City Recorder