The City Council consists of the Mayor and four (4) Council Members. The Mayor is directly elected by the voters and has been directly elected since 1978. The Council Members are elected at large. The Mayor and Council Members are the governing body, the decision makers of the City. The City Council makes the laws and sets policies.
The Mayor is president of the City Council and presides at all meetings. He is entitle to, and must vote, but possesses no veto power. He is the official head of the City for ceremonial purposes. But official actions must be taken by a majority of the City Council as a whole or quorum thereof.
The City Council also serves as the Board of Directors for the Atwater Redevelopment Agency, the Atwater Fire Protection District, the Atwater Housing Authority, the Atwater Public Financing Authority, and the Atwater Public Improvement Corporation. The Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Clerk serve as officers for each of these boards.
The City has a City Council/City Manager form of government. The City Council directly appoints the City Manager and the City Attorney, who serves as the City’s primary legal advisor. It is the responsibility of the City Manager, with the assistance of City staff, to enforce and carry out the laws and policies set by the City Council.
The City Council and Redevelopment Agency holds regular meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers, 750 Bellevue Road, Atwater, California. In the event said meeting date falls on a legal holiday, the meeting will be held on the next business day. Adjourned and special meetings may also be held upon appropriate notification.
The public is encouraged to participate in the City’s decision making process and is invited to attend City Council meetings where issues affecting the community are discussed. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, you should contact the Office of the City Clerk at 209 357-6300. Please provide enough time to enable us to make reasonable arrangements to assure accessibility to the meeting.
A variety of business come before the City Council. At the meeting those wishing to address the City Council may do so and the City will keep a formal record of individuals who speak. Speakers may also be called upon by the Mayor as items come up on the agenda. The City Council may place time limits on speakers to ensure that all speakers on an item may be heard. Generally, once the Mayor has ceased public discussion on any item, debate is closed and no further comments will be taken from the audience unless requested by the Mayor.
The City Council holds a public comment session at each meeting to allow individuals to address matters that are not formal agenda items. With few exceptions, the City Council cannot act on unscheduled matters. However, the City Council may choose to refer the matter to staff or schedule an item for formal action at a later date.
Meetings of the Atwater Fire Protection District, the Atwater Housing Authority, the Atwater Public Financing Authority, and the Atwater Public Improvement Corporation, on which the City Council serves as Board Members, will be held at the specified day, time and place only when there are items for consideration by the said Authority, District or Corporation.  | 
