Memorandum 13-091 Referendum Petition to Repeal Ordinance 12-36(A) Prohibiting Sellers from Providing Customers with Disposable Plastic Shopping Bags

M E M O R A N D U M  13-091

TO:  MAYOR WYTHE AND CITY COUNCIL

FROM:  JO JOHNSON, CITY CLERK

DATE:  JUNE 18, 2013

SUBJECT: REFERENDUM PETITION TO REPEAL ORDINANCE 12-36(A) PROHIBITING     SELLERS FROM PROVIDING CUSTOMERS WITH DISPOSABLE PLASTIC     SHOPPING BAGS.

On June 3, 2013, Justin Arnold filed a referendum petition in my office, seeking a referendum on Ordinance 12-36(A), titled, “An Ordinance of the Homer City Council, Enacting Homer City Code Chapter 5.42 Prohibiting Sellers from Providing Customers with Disposable Plastic Shopping Bags.”  I have determined that the petition bears sufficient signatures, and have so certified.

The petition was filed after the effective date of Ordinance 12-36(A), so the ordinance is not suspended pending the referendum election.  Under AS 29.26.180(a), I am required to submit the referendum question to the voters at the next regular City election, on October 1, 2013, unless the Council determines that it is in the best interest of the City to order by ordinance a special election on the referendum question before the next regular election but not sooner than 60 days after certification of the petition.

Please let me know whether I should prepare an ordinance ordering a special election on the referendum question.

RECOMMENDATION:
Advise the Clerk if a special election is requested so she may prepare an ordinance requesting same.