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KH CRC wraps up its work
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| By:JAMES WILLIAMS, Monitor Editor |
June 09, 2006 |
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The Keystone Heights Charter Review Commission got down to its work in early January and wraps it up on Tuesday, June 27. By mandate, the group must have ended its work six months after it first convened.
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The purpose of the committee is to review the city charter, a fundamental constitutional document that guides Keystone government. The group is purely advisory, it proposes changes to the city council. The council will consider each recommendations and determine which items it wishes to forward to the voters. The voters will have the final say on changes to the city charter during the March 2007 election.
The five members of the charter review committee are Tony Brown, who has acted as committee chair, Phil Arnold, John Valldejuli, Karen Lake and, now, Fredd Pitts. Accountant Rosemary Jurosz was originally appointed to the committee but had to step down due to professional commitments.
At the last CRC meeting, the committee narrowed down their proposals to the nine recommendations listed below.
The group's first ordinance will forbid the mayor or council member to directly intervene with city staff. The purpose of the ordinance is to insure a constant flow of appropriate, consistent supervision over city staff without confusion. The council and the mayor are thought to be legislative and not administrative bodies. Instead, council members must pass along directives, suggestions or work orders to the chief of operations, the city clerk or the city manager, should such a position exist.
A second ordinance would lengthen the term of office for the mayor and city council, changing it from two to three years. The ordinance must provide for a transition period and an effective date. This is one of two articles sent back to the city attorney for rewording, to specify a transition period in greater detail.
Another ordinance would require three or more affirmative votes from council members before any measure can be adopted.
At present three members of the council are required for a quorum, but theoretically only two members present at a meeting could adopt a measure without polling the two missing council members. This would not be a majority vote of all five council members. A two-person vote carried the decision, briefly, during the Hale administration's struggle to choose a site for the skateboard park.
The CRC will also propose an ordinance that a Commission must be assembled to review the charter every four years. At present, the commission is assembled at will, if the council or mayor sees a need.
What the commission now refers to as Article 5 would allow the city council to elect Keystone's mayor for a two-year term from among its own members. At present, the vice-mayor is already elected by the rest of the board.
The intent of the ordinance is to define the city government as a "weak mayor-strong council," with the mayor's position emphasizing ceremonial and parliamentary duties. According to CRC members, the practice is widespread, especially in small towns, and is said to eliminate the need for mayoral election expenses.
Article Six eliminates the requirement that the full council must agree unanimously to remove a member of the Keystone Airpark Authority. The new ordinance would allow removal of a KAA member with a simple majority of the council vote.
Article 7 is designed to replace the current city clerk's position, possibly combining other functions, to create a city manager's slot.
This article is the second of the two returned to city attorney Rob Bradley for rewording. The commission stated that it was important for voters to understand that the CRC's purpose was not to overburden the town with more salary expenses and an expensive new position, but to restructure the charts to improve staffing with funds available now.
Article 8 will clarify term limits, to prevent any council member from holding any council seat or seats longer than four consecutive terms. This article may be a response to the last terms of former Mayor Archie Green and council member Ginger Johns. The two occupied a council seat until term limits were about to force them out of office, whereupon they was said to have "traded seats." Under the current charter, the trade was entirely permissible.
Finally, article nine would amend the charter to require a candidate for city office to reside in Keystone for at least six months prior to the date of the election.
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©Bradford County Telegraph 2010
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