Youngstown council to vote Wednesday on putting charter amendments on ballot

YOUNGSTOWN — City council will consider legislation Wednesday to place charter amendments on the November ballot to eliminate term limits for its members and for council president.

Also, an anti-fracking charter amendment that’s been rejected by city voters seven times before likely will be back again in November.

Councilman Mike Ray, D-4th, who would be term limited next year, said the proposal would be a balance of power as voters in 2012 approved a charter amendment to eliminate term limits for the mayor. That came at the recommendation of a charter-review commission that didn’t suggest a similar amendment for city council members.

City council will vote on two separate pieces of legislation – one to eliminate term limits for council members and the other for council president. Currently, they can serve a maximum of two consecutive elected four-year terms and then must sit out an intervening term before seeking election.

Council will also vote to put the “Youngstown Drinking Water Protection Bill of Rights” on the ballot again. The proposal would ban fracking in the city and forbid city government to use water and wastewater funds for economic development projects.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com