YOUNGSTOWN Hashing over charter

The council president stumped for a human resources department.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mayor George M. McKelvey doesn't see much that needs changing in the city charter. One change he especially doesn't want to see is the form of government where a city manager runs daily operations.
McKelvey was adamant in his opposition to a city manager setup when he spoke last week to the charter review commission.
"I believe the city voters should elect a mayor who is the chief operating officer," he said.
A nonelected chief executive disenfranchises city voters, he said. Taking the power away from voters -- which he called elitist and an insult -- indicates that civic leaders don't think the public is smart enough to make the choice, he said.
"I, personally, resent that," McKelvey said.
A city manager system also is ripe for political games, he said. Such a setup puts management into the hands of a council majority that doesn't necessarily represent the whole city, he said. Votes on council to hire and fire a city manager can be based on power and politics, not who is best for the job, he said.
The only charter change McKelvey mentioned, as others have, is clarifying succession on council.
Term limits
McKelvey described himself "a very happily term-limited mayor" but nonetheless expressed reservations about term limits. People should be able to vote for who they want, however long they want, he said.
John R. Swierz, council president, also objected to term limits. The two, four-year terms of mayor and council members soon will leave some people in power who don't have enough experience for such authority, Swierz said.
Swierz asked charter review members to consider addressing the city's lack of a human resources department. He has sought such a department from the Ungaro and McKelvey administrations. Neither has embraced the idea.
City department heads spend a lot of time on personnel issues, he said. A human resources office would otherwise deal with those, he said.
Law Director John McNally IV said his department handles a personnel issue nearly every hour of the day.
"This is a very devastating thing when it comes to the efficiency and effectiveness of government," Swierz said.
There would be a cost to switch the civil service office to human resources, but the savings would outweigh the expense, Swierz said.
Clarification
William M. Carter, the charter review chairman, said a press report late last month left the perception that the group might not be thorough because of time constraints. That's not true, he said.
The commission was told earlier this month that it 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.
The commission was working under the idea that charter changes could wait for votes until May or November 2004.
Carter said the commission will explore all issues despite the short time line. If the August deadline is missed, it will be made with the full knowledge that ballot issues must wait two years, he said.
"We will address everything," Carter said.
rgsmith@vindy.com