Council votes against putting charter issue on Nov. ballot

Four council members voted for the issue and four were opposed.
& lt;a href=mailto:dick@vindy.com & gt;By DENISE DICK & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- City council's refusal to ask voters in November if a charter commission should be formed prompted one lawmaker to vow to try the effort again next year.
"The people who voted against it today will answer to the voters in November," said Councilman Alford L. Novak, D-2nd, one of the sponsors of the ordinance considered at a special council meeting Wednesday night.
Novak and Councilmen John Homlitas, D-3rd; Robert A. Marchese, D-at large; and Daniel E. Polivka, D-at large, supported the legislation. Councilmen Robert Holmes, D-4th, and Gary Fonce, D-at large, and Councilwomen Susan E. Hartman, D-7th, and Virginia Bufano, D-1st, were opposed.
Councilmen James A. "Doc" Pugh, D-6th, who is ill, and Brendan J. Keating, D-5th, were absent.
A yes vote from a majority of council members was needed for passage.
Novak said he's heard from many of his constituents who supported a charter question on the ballot.
"I think that really we should not deny voters the right to say yes or no," he said.
Disagrees
Holmes said he hasn't heard from any of his constituents who supported it. He also was concerned about the costs to the city of sending a proposed charter document to voters and hiring personnel for the committee.
Hartman doesn't believe there's much a charter city can do that can't be done through the current form of government.
Fonce said that he agrees it's up to voters to decide the type of government they want but that he doesn't understand the rush to get it on the November ballot. Public meetings should be conducted to educate council members and the public on what a charter government is, he said.
"I'm concerned that only a select few people will run for the charter committee," Fonce said.
The problems in the city could be handled if those in positions of authority were accountable for their actions, he said, without elaborating.
Fonce and Mayor Hank Angelo, who didn't speak about the charter at the meeting but has said he supports it, got into an argument after the meeting adjourned regarding the issue. As the two parted, Fonce said, "Don't touch me," and told Angelo to walk away.
"I'm walking away politely," Angelo said. "You're acting like an idiot."
"And you're an a--," Fonce said.