Public invited to share charter comments

LIMA - The Charter Review Commission wants to hear from the public on civil service changes to the city's charter.

The group's meetings are always open to the public, but members are issuing a special invitation for public comment, commission Chairman Zach Broshes said.

The group asked for input from city officials to be turned in by today. It has received several documents, but none from City Council Human Resources Committee. Members at a recent committee meeting said they had a great deal of information to share about civil service changes.

The commission expects to have recommendations, some in specific language and some in the form of ideas, Broshes said.

After dispensing with civil service issues, the group plans to look at election and then purchasing issues.

Council Clerk Sally Clemans said an issue was brought to her about employees not being allowed to approach the commission and Law Director Tony Geiger said that was not true. A letter was sent out to employee union leadership with a specific invitation to bring changes they would like to see to the group. Some employees are not represented by unions, but that doesn't mean they are disallowed from speaking to the group, Geiger said.