City council approves special election, mail-in only ballots is on the way for Yuma

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The special election was approved by the Yuma City Council last week.

It could bring many changes including a pay increase for the mayor and city council members.

A city charter review committee met in the summer of 2019 and made recommendations for changes to the city’s charter.

Now those changes will be voted on in a special election slated for November 8 after all council members and the mayor voted in favor.

Mayor Doug Nicholls said, “The strongest voice is the voice of the people directly. That’s the reason why I want to see this in front of the community and they can make decisions one way or the other.” 

The special election will be a first for the city as a mail-in-only election. 

One item on the ballot is the mayor and city council pay.

If approved, the mayor would make 60 percent of what a Yuma County Board of Supervisors makes which is currently $63,000 per year, according to the county salary website.  

Currently, the City of Yuma mayor makes $12,000 a year.

And city council pay would go up too.

Mayor Nicholls is heeding the advice of the charter committee.

“We need to continue to implement the advice from our citizens committee on the charter review…go ahead and get all those recommendations before the voters to make these decisions," stated Mayor Nicholls.

Two other items that will be voted for include designating the city attorney to directly answer to the city mayor and council rather than the city administrator.

And provide the city administrator with a 6-month severance instead of the two-month package that is currently in place. 

The next city council meeting is slated for June 7.