Chandler Council: Special meeting, closed session both Monday

By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | X: @JasonWBrooks2

A Chandler City Council executive session and a special open meeting are both set for Monday, June 2, to address issues stemming from an apparent inconsistency within the city’s charter.

The 5 p.m. special meeting has been on the city’s agenda since about 24 hours after a May 22 regular meeting. That’s where council unanimously decided to table a measure to put new charter language about mayor and council term limits on the Nov. 4 ballot for voter approval.

A 4 p.m. executive closed session is to get legal counsel in pending litigation regarding a case the city refers to as “Ruth Jones v. city of Chandler et al.” That’s a recently filed lawsuit by Jones, who was easily defeated in the 2022 mayoral election that gave Kevin Hartke his second term.

The 5 p.m. meeting will be held in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 88 E. Chicago Street, downtown Chandler.

Multiple media outlets have reported that Jones argues Hartke violated the charter when he successfully ran for mayor in 2018, as the charter, by the interpretation of Jones, her attorney and others, that council members should wait 4 years after the end of a second council term before running for mayor.

The remedy in the suit is for Hartke to immediately vacate the office. Hartke told the Chandler Independent on May 19 that he has no plans to resign before his second and final consecutive term ends in January of 2027.

\Hartke, the city and City Clerk Dana DeLong are all named as defendants in Jones’ suit. The suit was filed hours before council’s nearly 4-hour, May 22 meeting, which was dominated by discussions of term limits, who can run for mayor and council and when, and what to do about it in terms of what city attorneys call “ambiguous” language in the charter.

As is usually the case when council meets for a work or executive session before a different meeting, the agenda calls for council to return to executive and continue discussion after the 5 p.m. public meeting, if necessary.

Jones was among about 15 speakers at the May 22 meeting. She was one of few who spoke who suggested the city take no action on the charter ambiguity, though there was plenty of disagreement among the public and council on what to do next, and how quickly to move.

Some, including Mayor Hartke, saw loopholes or issues with either the nature of a proposed charter amendment or its perceived rushed nature. Hartke noted that three charter amendments were brought to council at a recent work session, with the majority of council wanting to not add to much to the Nov. 4 ballot, which will already have a $475 million set of bond questions for voters.
Jones called for immediate action.

“The charter was written the way it was so that no one person or group would hold onto power for too long,” Jones said. “The city doesn’t need to change this charter. It needs to follow it.”

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Email Jason W. Brooks at jbrooks@iniusa.org. 

Jason W. Brooks
News Editor | Chandler Independent

Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.

Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.

Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.

Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.

Community: He supports animal shelters.