Residents in Huntington Beach will have the opportunity to provide their input on a contentious set of proposed charter reforms through a series of four additional council meetings organized by the city. These meetings aim to directly address various suggested changes, including topics like voter identification requirements and regulations regarding the display of flags within the city.

Numerous residents have voiced concerns about the lack of public involvement in the formulation of these charter reforms, a sentiment shared by Councilmember Casey McKeon. In response to this, McKeon has requested that the council gather more public input before making a decision on whether to place these amendments on a future ballot for voters to decide. Starting on September 14, the council has scheduled four consecutive Thursday meetings dedicated to discussing the proposed charter amendments, with opportunities for public participation during these sessions.

It’s worth noting that the charter amendments were crafted by an ad hoc committee that included Mayor Tony Strickland and councilmembers Pat Burns and Gracey Van Der Mark. This committee did not conduct its discussions publicly.

The proposed charter amendments encompass three main areas of reform, each bundling together several changes. The first proposal seeks to implement voter identification requirements for city elections, increase the number of in-person voting locations, and enhance the oversight of ballot drop boxes. Other suggestions include restrictions on the types of flags that the city can display, transitioning the city to a two-year budget cycle, and mandating voter approval in cases where the city engages in transactions that would result in the forfeiture of property taxes.