Public input invited on charter

Public input invited on charter

Residents of Youngstown are getting a rare opportunity to weigh in on decisions that will have great bearing on how their city is run. The framework upon which our municipal system of government is based — the charter — has been under close review for the last several months, and proposed changes will be presented to the public at the Youngstown Museum of Industry & Labor on Wood Street, downtown at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

What makes this opportunity particularly rare is the fact that the public’s opinion is being sought before recommendations are submitted to city council. While the outcome of this public session won’t produce immediate changes to the amendments as presented, it will create enough food for thought to force city council members to think before acting.

If our federal or state constitutions were being amended, would you like to have a voice in how those changes would impact you as a citizen before those issues reached the ballot? You bet. The charter performs the same function in city government, and there are about 18 changes being recommended. The Review Committee — eleven volunteers appointed by city council members and the mayor — has been researching, discussing and arguing these changes. They voted 9-2 to give the public the chance to express an opinion. Take advantage of it. If you’re a Youngstown resident, it’s almost your duty to show up.

When you come to the meeting, you should let the following be your guide as each amendment to the charter is presented: Does it promote flexibility? The charter was first adopted during the time of Warren G. Harding’s presidential administration and when Youngstown’s population was racing toward its peak of 170,000. Today’s charter must meet today’s needs. Does it encourage transparency? For good government to work effectively, it must be accountable and promote public access and the charter should assure us of those things. And is it equitable? America was built on the concept of equality, “... that all men are created equal” as Thomas Jefferson once wrote. Our government and system of representation should reflect this in our city charter.

The public has been invited to this meeting on Tuesday to let their voices be heard through their thumbs and fingers on instant polling devices. This is a time to be heard.

Chris Travers, Youngstown