Stowsentry.com - Commission begins review of city's charter

by Marsha McKenna

Senior Editor

Stow -- The Charter Review Commission has begun its study of the city's governing document and the ongoing subject of term limits for elected officials is being looked at.

The commission is formed every five years to review the city's charter and possibly make recommended changes, that would have to be approved by the voters. The seven-member panel was appointed by Mayor Karen Fritschel and approved by City Council, as per the charter.

First-term at-large Councilperson Mike Rasor appeared before the commission Feb. 4 to answer questions and offer his thoughts on charter issues.

Rasor said he favors keeping terms for City Council at two years and setting term limits for Council at somewhere between four and eight years. Council presently does not have term limits.

"Term limits are necessary," Rasor said.

All Council seats are up for re-election at the same time. When asked about staggering terms, so ward and at-large representatives are not elected on the same ballot, Rasor replied he liked the idea, but noted candidates in the federal and state election years would be more impacted by voter turnout than those in off years.

Commission member Doris Stewart, who was a candidate for Council's Ward 1 this past November, wondered if a Councilmember would spend a significant amount of the term's second year in campaigning, possible affecting attention to city matters.

Rasor said it "could be an issue with some people" but he would not let decision making be based on politics. "We have to be accountable to voters."

He added that U.S. Congress representatives have two-year terms and have the campaigning issue to deal with.

Presently, the law director and the finance director are elected posts, but the finance director doesn't have a term limit as does the law director. Rasor said he believes that inconsistency should be fixed whether it be with or without term limits.

Rasor also said the two-year residency requirement was sufficient for Council and could favor lessening it. He added he would suggest leaving the two-year requirement in place for the mayor's post.

"The best exclusion device is the electorate," he said.

He also said he wanted to keep the law and finance directors as elected positions, saying he favors "the core people of the city to be elected."

Commission member Christina Gary wondered about the feasibility of adding a fifth ward to City Council's representation, which would also require an additional at-large position to keep the entity at an odd number for voting. Rasor replied he thought the present seven-member City Council was "good for decision making."

Chairperson Elgie Underwood brought up the concept of a city manager form of government rather than a mayor heading a city. A city manager would be hired by Council and report to Council, while all department heads would report to the city manager. The mayor would be mainly a ceremonial position.

Rasor said he would have to study that idea but a city definitely needed one person to run it. He noted a city manager form could lessen the possibility of "political favoritism."

Overall, Rasor told the commission he favored the charter having "fewer details," adding he thought it good if the commission is "skeptical" of each provision and why are those provisions still there.

In response to earlier questions from the commission, Stow Law Director Brian Reali said it was his opinion that Council's job is administrative and the entity "would have to put [any proposed charter amendments] on the ballot."

Failure of Council to send any proposed amendments "could result in a lawsuit."

Reali said he supported "100 percent" to keep the law director and finance director as elected posts. "The more people the residents get to choose is better."

He told the commission his first choice on term limits would be consistency across the board on all elected positions. Secondly, he would favor getting rid of term limits and giving everyone four-year terms.

David Renninger, the commission's vice chair, agreed, saying "Right now we're very inconsistent [on term limits]."

Underwood noted that in general, the commission was "learning the difference between the black-and-white of the law and the spirit [of the charter]."

Other members on the commission are Brian D'Antonio, Jack Dodgson and Gwen Heeney. The commission meets each Thursday night at 7 p.m. in city hall's boards and commission room, unless otherwise noted.

The commission plans to meet with Ron Gauthier, a former Councilmember, on Feb. 11, and with the mayor and Police Chief Louis Dirker on Feb. 18. The meetings are open to the public.

E-mail: mmckenna@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3918