Discussion and direction to staff on preparing a draft ordinance and adding language to the Manual of Procedural Guidelines setting an annual rotation for Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem
The City of Banning is a general law city with a five-member City Council. Consistent with California Government Code Section 36801 et seq., the Mayor is not directly elected by the voters; rather, the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem are selected annually by and from among the members of the City Council. This process is currently governed by Banning Municipal Code Section 2.04.070 (Appointment of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem).
Prior to 2013, the City Council followed an informal rotation practice under which Council members moved into the Mayor position in turn, regardless of length of service on the Council. In 2013, the Council moved away from automatic rotation in favor of an annual appointment decided by majority vote of the Council at the reorganization meeting. In practice, this vote-based approach has at times resulted in closely divided outcomes (for example, a 3-2 vote in December 2015), which can create the perception – accurate or not – that the selection of Mayor is influenced by shifting Council alliances rather than an objective, predictable standard.
On August 25, 2026, at the request of Mayor Pro Tem Barrington, the City Council held a discussion item on a rotation-based system. That report described the rotations used by several Riverside County cities, including Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, Cathedral City, Calimesa, and Beaumont, and asked Council for direction on six questions. Council directed staff to return with language for the Manual of Procedure Guidelines and ultimately, a new ordinance updating the Banning Municipal Code Section 2.04.070. Following that discussion, staff prepared suggested language establishing a rotation based on District numerical order with an annual affirmation procedure.
The City's Manual of Procedural Guidelines (the "Manual") Article 8 (Meeting Officers) governs the Presiding Officer and Vice Chair, which for the City Council are the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem. Section 8.8 of the Manual is currently "Reserved." Under Section 12.2, the Manual may be amended by resolution adopted by a majority vote of the City Council, provided at least seven days' written notice identifying the sections to be amended has first been given to all Legislative Body members.
Staff recommends placing the rotation in the reserved Section 8.8, within the Article that already addresses the Council's meeting officers. No other section would need to be renumbered. The proposed text is shown in full in Attachment 3 of this staff report.
A rotation tied to District order offers several advantages for Banning:
- Predictability-Every member of the Council and the public will know in advance who is expected to serve as Mayor, and the December meeting becomes a vote to affirm the rotation rather than an open contest for the office.
- Equal representation-Because Banning elects its Council by district, each District is represented in the Mayor's seat once every five years.
- Simplicity-Unlike the seniority-based models, a District order does not require rules for tie-breaking, placement of newly elected members, or crediting prior mayoral service.
The Council should also weigh one trade-off. Because the order follows Districts rather than length of service, a newly elected or appointed member could become Mayor shortly after taking office if that member's District is next in the rotation. Several of the surrounding cities surveyed address this with a minimum-service requirement; Indian Wells and Calimesa, for example, require one year on the Council before a member may serve as Mayor. The Council may wish to add a similar requirement.
Section 1.2 of the Manual provides that where the Manual conflicts with an ordinance or statute, the ordinance or statute governs. Because Banning Municipal Code Section 2.04.070 currently governs appointment of the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, staff recommends the Council direct staff to prepare any conforming amendment to the section so the Manual and the Municipal Code are consistent.
An ordinance requires two readings at separate meetings and takes effect 30 days after adoption (Government Code Section 36937). A conforming ordinance introduced after tonight's meeting therefore would not be in effect before the December 2026 reorganization. Because affirmation under Section 8.8(c) is itself a majority vote of the Council, the Council could still begin the rotation for the 2027 term by affirming it at its first regular meeting in December 2026, provided the election results have been certified by that date.
None.