The Fresno City Council changed its rules at Thursday’s meeting on picking a president and vice president.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, councilmembers will vote on who becomes president and acquires the power of procedure and the agenda.

The council will also vote for the vice president. These changes come after the council adopted a rotation policy in 2020.

A councilmember can now also be president or vice president for more than one term.

“We will go back to our old system where it’s just a merit-based election for president and vice president,” said Council Vice President Mike Karbassi, who sponsored the item. “We will also remove the prohibition on anyone who wants to run for a second or subsequent term.”

President Has Power of Procedure, Agenda

The council will conclude the rotation model in 2025, with Karbassi serving as president next year and councilmember Miguel Arias serving as vice president.

The role of president comes with power over what gets discussed.

According to city rules, councilmembers submit agenda items to the president for approval. The president, city clerk, city manager, and city attorney then set the agenda.

The president also maintains order at meetings. Members of the public are asked to direct their comments on issues to the president.