WHEREAS, the City Charter provides that the heads of certain departments are appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the City Council, but does not provide for periodic reappointment and reconfirmation of those department heads; and

WHEREAS, the Seattle Municipal Code does provide for periodic reappointment and reconfirmation of several other department heads; and

WHEREAS, periodic reappointment and reconfirmation of department heads affords the City Council and the public an opportunity to review a department head's accomplishments, vision, goals, priorities, challenges, and decision-making approach; and

WHEREAS, periodic reappointment and reconfirmation provides an orderly system of public accountability for the City's department heads; NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS

FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Subject to the approval of a proposition by a majority of the qualified electors casting votes thereon, a section in each of Article VIII, Article XI, and Article XVI of the Charter of the City of Seattle is amended, and a new section is added to Article XXII as follows:

ARTICLE VIII. Financial and Clerical

Section 1. DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE: There shall be a Department of Finance to exercise general supervision over the financial affairs of the City, with such powers and duties as may be prescribed by ordinance. The Director of Finance shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by a majority of the City Council, shall be subject to reappointment and reconfirmation every four years, and may be removed by the Mayor upon filing a statement of his or her reasons therefor with the City Council.

ARTICLE XI. Department of Parks

Section 1. DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION: There shall be a Department of Parks and Recreation, the head of which shall be the Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, who shall have responsibility for the management and control of the park and recreation system of the City. Such Superintendent shall appoint under civil service laws and rules, supervise and control all officers and employees in the Department of Parks and Recreation, and shall have such further powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by ordinance. The Superintendent of Parks and Recreation shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by a majority of the City Council, shall be subject to reappointment and reconfirmation every four years, and may be removed for cause by the Mayor upon filing with the City Council a statement of his or her reasons therefor; provided that upon the resignation of the Superintendent of Parks and Recreation in response to the Mayor's request, the Mayor shall file with the City Council a statement of his or her reasons for making such request.

ARTICLE XVI. Personnel System and Civil Service

Section 1. PERSONNEL SYSTEM: A personnel system for the City shall be established by ordinance. The system shall be administered by the Personnel Director, who shall be appointed by the Mayor, such appointment to be effective only upon confirmation by the City Council passed by a majority of all its members, and shall be subject to reappointment and reconfirmation every four years. The Personnel Director may be removed for cause by the Mayor upon filing a statement of his or her reasons therefor with the City Council; provided that upon the resignation of the Personnel Director in response to the Mayor's request, the Mayor shall file with the City Council a statement of his or her reasons for making such request. The ordinance shall establish uniform procedures for recruitment, selection, development, and maintenance of an effective and responsible work force, including but not limited to, job advertising, training, job classification, examinations, appointments, transfers within the system, career development, salary administration, labor negotiations, safety, employee benefits, grievance procedures, discipline, discharge, layoff and recall, regulation of political activity, and other personnel matters.

NEW SECTION:

ARTICLE XXII. Miscellaneous Subjects

Sec. 14. CERTAIN INCUMBENTS IN OFFICE: Incumbents, if any, holding the offices of Director of Finance, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, and Personnel Director on the effective date of the 2006 amendments to Articles VIII, XI, and XVI shall first be subject to reappointment and reconfirmation on February 1, 2011.

Section 2. The King County Director of Records and Elections, as ex officio supervisor of elections, is hereby requested to call a special election and is directed to submit the charter amendments proposed herein to the qualified electors of the City at the election on November 7, 2006.

Section 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the Director of the Department of Records and Elections of King County as Supervisor of Elections the charter amendments proposed herein in the form of a ballot title prepared by the City Attorney pursuant to RCW 29A.36.071, and shall certify a copy of the proposed Charter amendments, and the same shall be published by the City Clerk in accordance with state law.

Adopted by the City Council the _____ day of _____________, 2006, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this _____ day of ________________, 2006. ________________________________________ President __________ of the City Council

Filed by me this ______ day of _________________, 2006. ________________________________________ City Clerk

7/18/06 (Ver. 2) ta