News

File this lesson under “make sure to read your City Charter”.

A City Auditor in Gresham, Oregon is just now discovering that her position, which she has been in since 2007 no longer exists because of a mistake in the election that created her position in the first place.

It turns out the vote on the amendment, done in 2004,  to create the position of City Auditor needed to win with a 60% majority–and it only got 54%.  This turned up in a recent review of the City Charter, and so now her position no longer exists.

From Oregon Live.com:

Ris discovered the discrepancy, and reported it to City Manager Erik Kvarsten and Mayor Shane Bemis, according to Robin Franzen, city spokeswoman.

“It’s not clear what happened,” Franzen said. The city employees most directly involved at the time, City Attorney Susan Bischoff, and City Recorder Deb Jerman, no longer work for the city.

In the end, the former City Auditor Julie Nieminski is going to be able to keep her job, but now it’s going to be called the “city compliance officer”, and will include a lot less power.

Here’s to knowing your City Charter inside and out before you run an election.