Charter Amendment: Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Qualification for City Elected Officers

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that a ballot title for an initiative petition was filed with the City Elections Office for the City of Gladstone on May 21, 2020. The ballot title is as follows: CAPTION: Charter Amendment: Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Qualification for City Elected Officers QUESTION: Should Charter be amended to prohibit individuals who have successfully filed Chapter 7 bankruptcies from serving as City elected officers? SUMMARY: The City’s elected officers are the Mayor and Councilors. The Charter currently requires these officers to: — at the time of election, be a qualified elector as defined by the state constitution; — have resided in the city during the 12 months immediately preceding the election; and — maintain a continuous residency in the City during the term of office. If approved, this measure would prohibit any person from serving as Mayor or Councilor if, at any time before or during a term of office, that person successfully completed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. This would be an additional qualification that would apply to both individuals seeking office and individuals who are currently serving as elected officers. Removal from office would not occur without further Council action. This measure would apply only to Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings and not to other bankruptcy filings such those under Chapter 11 or Chapter 13. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a liquidation process that eliminates most of an individual’s unsecured debts, such as credit cards and medical bills, without a repayment plan. The City Elections Official has determined this measure the requirements of Article IV, Section 1(2)(d) and (5) of the Oregon Constitution. An elector may file a petition for review of this ballot title in the Clackamas County Circuit Court no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 2, 2020. Any elector who files a petition to review the ballot title must notify the City Elections Official in writing that the petition has been filed no later than 5:00 p.m. on the next business day following the day the petition is filed. Publish May 27, 2020 CLK165917

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