| CERTIFICATES - BIRTH/DEATH/MARRIAGE
Q. Where do I go for Birth, Death, or Marriage Certificates and Marriage Licenses?
A. The County of Orange Clerk Recorder handles these services. For marriage, birth, and death certificates, call (714) 834-9004. For Marriage Licenses, call (714) 834-2710.
CITY HALL
Q. What is City Hall's address and general phone number?
A. City Hall is located at 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA, 92648 on the corner of Main and Yorktown. The automated general information phone number is (714) 536-5511.
Q. What are City Hall hours?
A. City Hall is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are closed on all legal holidays.
CITY COUNCIL
Q. When are the City Council Meetings?
A. The City Council meetings are held in the Council Chambers (Lower Level, City Hall) on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Unless otherwise announced, the meetings begin at 4 p.m. with a study session or closed session meeting. The televised portion of the City Council meeting starts at approximately 6 p.m. and can be viewed on cable television on Channel 3.
Q. What are the names of our City Council Members?
Q. What are the terms of our City Council Members?
A. City Council Members are elected by the citizens of Huntington Beach to a 4-year term. City Council Members may serve two consecutive 4-year terms. Following this time, City Council Members must vacate their seat for a minimum of two years before running for office again.
Q. Do City Council Members represent certain districts within the City?
A. No. City Council Members are elected at-large and do not represent a specific district within the City. The general public may schedule a meeting with any one of the seven City Council Members.
Q. What are the party affiliations of the City Council?
A. City Council elections are non-partisan. Information about Party affiliation is available through the Orange County Registrar of Voters at (714) 567-7600.
Q. How is our Mayor selected?
A. Within our City, the position of Mayor is selected by a vote of the City Council based on a rotational system as outlined in our City Charter. This occurs at the first City Council meeting in December. Each City Council Member will have the opportunity to serve as Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.
Q. How long is the Mayor's term?
A. The term of the Mayor is one year, beginning the first Council meeting in December and ending the following December.
Q. How do I schedule a meeting with the City Council?
A. The general public may schedule an appointment with an individual council member by contacting the City Council Office Secretary, Cathy Fikes, at (714) 536-5553. If you would like to speak to the entire council at one time, you may speak for a timed, 3-minute period during the Public Comments portion of the City Council meeting.
Q. How do I address a letter to the City Council?
A. Honorable Mayor [last name] and City Council Members
Q. Do City Council Members get paid? How much?
A. Yes. Section 301 of the City Charter sets the monthly salary of the City Council at $175.
In addition, each member receives a bi-weekly expense allowance to compensate them for costs associated with official duties. The amount provided to the Mayor is approximately $750; all other City Council Members receive approximately $530.
Q. How do I get a proclamation or certificate from the Mayor for an individual or a group?
A. A written request should be submitted to the Mayor. The request should include a specific description of the nature of the person or group to be honored. It is important that sufficient background information about the person or group be provided, along with an explanation of their accomplishments. The requestor should also indicate whether the proclamation is to be mailed, picked-up, or presented at a City Council meeting. The Public Information Office will coordinate the details with the requestor.
CITY ATTORNEY
Q. Who is the City Attorney?
A. The City Attorney, currently Jennifer McGrath, is the department head of the City Attorney's Office. The citizens of Huntington Beach elect the City Attorney who serves for a term of four years with no term limits. The City Attorney's Office provides legal service to the City Council, agencies, boards, departments, and offices in the City of Huntington Beach.
Q. What is the difference between the City Attorney and the District attorney?
A. The City Attorney's Office prosecutes violators of the Huntington Beach Municipal Code. The District Attorney is an elected official who investigates and prosecutes criminal activity, other than the Huntington Beach Municipal Code, throughout Orange County.
Q. Can the City Attorney represent citizens?
A. No. The City Attorney does not represent citizens in private legal matters, but rather the City of Huntington Beach as a whole.
Q. If I have been involved in an accident and feel as though the City of Huntington Beach is negligent what should I do?
A. To file a claim against the City, you must serve the claim, either by mail or personal delivery, at the City Clerk's Office, 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 within six months of the date of the incident. To obtain a claim form, you may contact the City Clerk by mail or by calling (714) 536-5227.
Q. Who can I speak with if a business in Huntington Beach did not perform a service that was previously paid for, and/or has since moved?
A. You can contact the Department of Consumer Affairs (213) 974-1452, the Better Business Bureau (714) 527-0608, or the District Attorney's Office (714) 834-3600.
Q. Where can I get a copy of a Municipal Code or City Ordinance?
A. The Huntington Beach Municipal Code can be found on the City's website. Hard copies of codes or particular ordinances can be obtained by contacting the City Clerk at (714) 536-5227.
Link to Municipal Code
Q. Who is the City Treasurer?
A. The City Treasurer is a charter officer elected by the citizens of Huntington Beach every four years. Shari Freidenrich is the current City Treasurer. She was appointed in May 1996, and subsequently elected in November 1996, 2000 and 2004.
Q. What are the City Treasurer's responsibilities?
A. The City Treasurer duties and responsibilities are to collect and deposit in a timely manner all moneys received by the City in compliance with the Huntington Beach Municipal Code; to invest these funds in compliance with an approved investment policy; and to assure the objectives of safety, liquidity and a market rate yield. The Department consists of three areas as follows: Cashiering, Collections, and Investments.
Annually the department process more than 600,000 payments. The City Treasurer handles transactions for the City's annual budget of approximately $329 million and an investment portfolio of approximately $200 million.
Q. I haven't received my property tax bill.
A. Call the Orange County Tax Assessor's Office at (714) 536-5227.
PAYMENT QUESTIONS:
Q. Do you have automatic payment or pay-by-phone capabilities?
A. The City now offers Autopay, a free service that is available to all Huntington Beach residents that automatically pays your utility bill on time each month. AutoPay automatically withdraws funds from any personal, business, or checking account to pay your bill for the City's utility services.
Anyone who wishes to sign up for AutoPay can print out an application on the City's website. If you have any questions about the AutoPay Program, your statement, or to request an application, please call the City of Huntington Beach at (714) 536-5200.
Autopay Information.
Continue
|
