Proposed City Charter Amendment - Chapter X Utilities
Background: In December of 2025, the Canby City Council convened a Charter Review Subcommittee to review the City’s Charter for revisions to propose to the voters. In consultation with the City Council and the Canby Utility Board, the Subcommittee recommended that Chapter X be amended as follows:
What are the proposed changes?
- Combine the electric and water departments into a Department of Water and Electric Services (“Department”).
- Grant the Canby Utility Board exclusive authority and control over the Department and authority to issue water revenue bonds.
- Remove language requiring voter approval for certain electric department costs above prior year revenue.
- Clarifies that existing voter rights under state law still apply to bond issuance.
- Change language limiting the Canby Utility Board’s total of outstanding short-term loans from 50% to 100% of the department’s prior fiscal year revenue.
- Modernize language and grammar.
- Increase Canby Utility Board members’ maximum number of successive terms of office from two to three.
- Clarify the Canby Utility Board’s General Manager position’s role.
- Require the Canby Utility Board to provide quarterly operation reports to the Canby City Council.
- The Canby City Council approved sending the Subcommittee’s recommendations to the voters in November 2026. If this measure is approved, the Canby City Charter would be amended as explained above. The full text of the proposed amendments can be found on the City of Canby’s website.
- If this measure is not approved, then the Canby City Charter Chapter X will not change.
How do the changes affect the City and Canby Utility?
- Under the current charter, the Canby Utility Board owns and manages the Electric Utility, and the City of Canby has ownership and control over the Water Utility and associated facilities. The Canby Utility Board operates and manages the water utility through an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Canby. The proposed changes move the ownership and management of the water utility and facilities to the Canby Utility Board.
- Under the current charter, the Canby Utility Board does not have the ability to issue debt to fund a water system improvement, the Canby City Council must authorize a debt issuance. The charter amendments would allow the Canby Utility Board to issue debt. This means that the Canby Utility Board would be able to issue a bond or take on a loan to fund the construction of the new water treatment plant and other water system infrastructure improvements without the City of Canby’s assistance.
- Under the current Canby City Charter, voters must approve expenditures for energy supply projects that exceed the annual revenue of the electric department. Proposed language would allow the Canby Utility Board to approve such expenditures.
- Currently, the Canby Utility Board members may serve up to two, three-year successive terms, for a total of six years. The amendments, if passed, would allow Board members to serve for three successive terms, or a total of 9 years. Board members are appointed by the Mayor of Canby and confirmed by the Canby City Council, and can be removed by the Mayor with City Council approval.
Where can I find the full text of the changes?
Amendments are posted on the City of Canby’s website here: https://www.canbyoregon.gov/city-recorder/page/ballot-titles
Contacts: If you have additional questions about the amendment, please contact
Canby Utility: 503-266-1156, customersupport@canbyutility.org
