First of Three Petitions Presented to Watsonville

3,200 Signatures Submitted on December 9 To Place “Naming of Public Places” on Ballot

By Noel Smith

A non-partisan citizens group presented its first petition to the city of Watsonville to place a measure before city voters that says in part, “The naming of all public places within the City of Watsonville or owned by the City outside the City limits shall be approved by the voters of the City of Watsonville …”

The petition is in response to an uproar that arose when in 2010 then-Mayor Luis Alejo proposed to the city council that they enact a name change for Watsonville Plaza to “Watsonville Dolores Huerta City Plaza.” The controversy caused the city council to table the proposal but left it with the power to enact such a naming just like any ordinance.

The new procedure would mandate that when the city is seeking to name public places such as plazas, parks, bridges, buildings etc., that each City Council member would be able to nominate a name. The choices would then go on the next election’s ballot and the name receiving the highest number of votes would then win.

“Local politics is important; let the people vote,” said Citizens Group member, Carlos Rico who turned in the 3,200 petition signatures to the City Clerk for verification. “We had until January,” said Rico, “But we only needed 1,600 signatures so we were able to turn these in early; the day before the city councils last official meeting for 2013.”

Rhea DeHart, retired Pajaro Valley teacher and former PVUSD Trustee said, “This also means that this initiative can go on the June 3, 2014 primary ballot saving $80,000 that would be the cost of a special election such as for Proposition T. The city council could still require a special election for this initiative but it is hoped that they will not want to spend $80,000 of the taxpayer’s money when it is not necessary.” Carlos Rico, Gerry Martin, and Aurora Parker sponsored the naming petition

There are two other petitions for city charter amendments — which require 15 percent of registered voters or about 2,400 signatures — which the group is actively circulating that it is hoped will also be on the June 3 ballot.

One involves mayoral appointments, while the other is to change the how the city charter causes city council vacancies to be dealt with.

Mayoral Appointments

This charter amendment would repeal the current system of the council voting to select the next mayor and vice mayor. In the new system, the office of mayor and vice mayor would rotate among the council members for one-year terms by district number from 1-7 affirmed by a vote of the council. The rotation would start with a mayor from District 7 and the vice-mayor (and next mayor) would be from District 1. Rhea DeHart, Delia Mendez and Cathy Perez are sponsoring this petition.

Filling Council Vacancies

Currently the council itself, including the vacating council member, may appoint a replacement council member. As Assemblyman Luis Alejo was vacating his city council seat to take his new elected position, a controversy arose when he was able to vote to elect his own replacement.

The charter amendment would require a municipal election within the Council District that has the vacancy within 90 days of the vacancy either as a special election or as part of a general election. The amendment ensures that the voters in the city council district having a vacancy would be able to vote for their own replacement. Rick Danna, Yolanda Ruiz Danna and Georgia Acosta are sponsoring this petition to fill future council vacancies by a vote of the residents.