Lima charter review to begin

LIMA - A group will convene Tuesday night to recommend overdue changes to the city's charter.

Council President John Nixon has appointed eight members, one to represent each ward, to a Charter Review Committee, charged with recommending changes in the city's guiding document that could be put up to a city-wide vote by council.

"This group understands the sferiousness of this work," Nixon said. "The charter is equal to the city's constitution. This is something that will take some months. This won't be three meetings and call it a day."

The charter is supposed to be reviewed every five years, but hasn't received a once-over since Keith Cunningham was the council president in 1994. Lima's charter was enacted in 1932.

City Law Director Tony Geiger will offer a list of recommendations for specific changes in the charter and also a list of other items in the charter he would like to see addressed in some fashion, he said.

Some possible changes are minor, such as outdated language referring only to men. Some changes could be more substantive, dealing with the time council meets and civil service rules.

Changes most likely wouldn't be seen on a ballot until next spring at the earliest, because to be on the November ballot, language must be approved and submitted by August, Nixon said. However, if the committee agrees on something quickly, it could happen.
Also yet to be decided is how the changes would be packaged for the ballot.

At the first meeting at 6:30 p.m. today at the Municipal Building, officials will review the committee's purpose, discuss the process, review open meeting law and possibly set future meetings. The group also needs to select a chairperson.

All meetings are open to the public. City Council will hold public hearings based on recommended changes from the committee.

Charter Review Commission meets at 6:30 p.m. today in council chambers, 50 Town Square, for its first meeting. Eight members represent the city's wards.

Charter Review Commission members, and wards:
Marc Reinicke, 1st Ward
Zach Broshes, 2nd Ward
Paul Johnson, 3rd Ward
Ben Rose, 4th Ward
John Doxie, 5th Ward
Cynthia White, 6th Ward
John Leahy Jr., 7th Ward
Dick Meredith, 8th Ward