YOUNGSTOWN Charter panel faces deadline to suggest changes

A vote on city charter changes must be this November or November 2005.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- All of a sudden, the city's charter review commission is in a big hurry.
The commission must provide recommended changes to city council by August for a November vote or wait two years before any changes can go to the ballot.
Commission members learned about the timeline Tuesday and immediately made plans to wrap up their work this summer.
When they met for the first time two weeks ago, the group was focusing on either the May 2004 primary or November 2004 general election.
Law Director John McNally IV told the commission that state law limits when charter changes can come to a vote. Votes are limited to "regularly scheduled general elections." State law defines that as November of odd years. That means the vote must be either this November or November 2005.
Consensus on the commission was that two years was too long to wait. Legally, a special election could be called, too. That would cost the city roughly $50,000, however.
Realistically, commission members must provide council their recommendations by early August at the latest. That's because city council needs at least a little time to consider the commissioner's proposed changes, too.
Meeting times set up
So, board members decided to meet at 10 a.m. each Thursday for the next six weeks, starting May 8, in the city council office. The group will meet with city officials the first three weeks to get a feel for the issues, said William M. Carter, board chairman. Then, citizens and any others who want to raise issues may come before the commission, he said.
The commission needs to know what issues it will deal with by mid-June, said the Rev. Kelvin Turner, a board member.
The board then would spend the rest of June and July forming its recommendations.
Member Gary Thornton suggested that anybody who makes suggestions to the commission first read the city charter in full.
Copies are available from the city council office.
Commission members also talked about whether they had the authority to expand their board in case they needed more people to handle the volume of work.
Nothing was decided, but the idea could be revisited in the coming weeks, Carter said.
rgsmith@vindy.com