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Akron Council asks voters to pass charter amendment

9/13/2012 - West Side Leader
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By Stephanie Kist

Ballot language sparks angry words at meeting

DOWNTOWN AKRON — Akron City Council voted 10-3 Sept. 10 to ask voters to support a proposed amendment to the city’s charter that will, pending action by the Ohio Supreme Court, appear on the Nov. 6 General Election.

The resolution, sponsored by Council President Marco Sommerville (D-Ward 3), expresses support for Issue No. 3 and urges Akron voters to approve the charter amendment to “eliminate the cost of an extra election, elect all Council members at the same election and limit raises for members of Council and the mayor.”

The proposed amendment would increase the terms of ward Council members from two to four years and alter the election cycle so that all public officials in the city are elected during the same election. Currently, the elections for mayor and at-large Council members are staggered so that an at-large Council member might run for mayor without giving up his or her Council seat.

The proposed amendment also would limit raises for the mayor and Council members to the average amount awarded that year in the private sector, the resolution states.

At-large Council members Michael Williams and Linda Omobien, both Democrats, as well as Councilman Bruce Kilby (D-Ward 2), voted against the resolution. The three also voted in opposition July 30 when Council voted to place the amendment on the ballot.

Kilby has since filed a lawsuit in the Ohio Supreme Court, contending the ballot language, which stresses that the amendment’s approval would save the city money, is misleading.

Speaking in opposition to the resolution Sept. 10, Kilby said, “Aren’t there better ways to save money? We all want to save money. But eliminating our democracy, I don’t think so.”

Kilby said the first time the city would realize any savings would be 2017, and the savings of $50,000 per year would be all of 0.00996 percent of the city’s yearly budget.

“In my opinion, this is not about saving money; it’s about politics,” he said.

He urged Council to take time on the resolution, saying that, due to the lawsuit, “We don’t even know if there’s going to be an Issue 3 on the ballot. I hope there won’t be.”

Later, during public comments, Ernie Tarle, a former councilman and critic of the city administration, suggested Council members “don’t want voters coming after them” when sewer bills increase as the city implements federally mandated corrections to its combined sewer overflow.

Mayor Don Plusquellic and Sommerville had a fiery response, both stressing the city is not to blame for rising sewer rates, which are the result of mandates imposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and upheld by a federal judge. City officials long have contended the city’s attempts to correct combined sewer overflow have been thwarted by the EPA.

Sommerville added the Summit County Board of Elections and Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted both OK’d the proposed charter amendment’s placement on the ballot.

In other business, Council unanimously and without discussion approved a resolution asking voters to support the Summit County Children Services’ 2.25-mill renewal levy, which will be on the ballot Nov. 6.

Council also approved the donation of city-owned land at 197 Frank Blvd. to Urban Neighborhood Development Corp. A new single-family home will be constructed on the vacant lot. Planning Director John Moore said the house will be stylistically similar to others in the neighborhood but will be more expensive — in the $150,000 range — due to its newness.

Also at the meeting, Council heard from Stephen Brown, of West Akron, who passed out proposals and asked for the city’s cooperation to construct greenhouses on vacant land in the 600 block of Diagonal Road. He said he would employ 25-30 West Akron residents to grow produce year-round to help offset the lack of grocery stores on the city’s west side.

Akron City Council next will next meet Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers on the third floor of the Akron Municipal Building, 166 S. High St. Committee meetings are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. that afternoon, also in Council Chambers.

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