From the Denverite David Sachs June 9 2020

Voters would have to approve the charter change, which was in the works long before recent protests, in November.

Denver Police Commander Paul Pazen speaks after Mayor Michael Hancock announced him as Denver’s new police chief, June 28, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

The Denver City Council might gain the power to make or break candidates for 14 key positions within the city government that currently depend solely on the mayor’s judgment.

On Tuesday, councilwomen Amanda Sawyer and Candi CdeBaca introduced a proposed ballot measure to the governance committee, which advanced the initiative to a vote of the full legislative body. If approved, Denver voters will ultimately decide on the charter change in November.

Right now the mayor has the power to appoint directors of these departments: safety, transportation, planning and development, finance, aviation, city attorney, health and environment, business licensing, human services, parks and recreation, and general services. The mayor also appoints the police chief, sheriff and fire chief.

While the mayor will still put forward candidates for those posts, the charter change would let council members approve or block those appointments with a majority vote.

Sawyer and CdeBaca conceived the measure last October, but recent protests over systemic racism and police brutality now paint it in a different light.

“If we have learned anything from the demonstrations that have happened over the murder of George Floyd and the public comment that we’ve heard in this chamber … it’s that the people of the city of Denver are crying out for more transparency and accountability,” Sawyer said. “Now more than ever, we owe it to our constituents to give them a more representative government that responds to the people.”

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