[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6257091,"mediaKeyId","3155079-da680773dba6a2e349193f93f72ce420","parentId",3155079,"title","Commission considers expanding term limits for Stow City finance and law directors","audioSeconds",468,"startMs",928000,"endMs",1396000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3155079-da680773dba6a2e349193f93f72ce420&start=928&end=1396","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3155079-da680773dba6a2e349193f93f72ce420/thumbnail_928000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6257091/Stow-City/Summit-County/Ohio/Commission-considers-expanding-term-limits-for-Stow-City-finance-and-law-directors","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257091-011300d9a304a12ddc305f3b7bfc08b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775598725&Signature=d2T8G2hLeo29P3VRXF1j~DPg9PnABGRTV92lQ2wuJGLm6xsUZ6Mj70tF261VofFrYjaFEbLkbXJ-c1by~M0ZJn5M~~kwykOpJ2IXLgRu0Ll4WXwcM5-C-4I0oXxjEgWEhgZgcDbwhhn2jfTL5eU~Uyd5npTY9VPH6aXsc23eIIirg4kUew-ifB0uivrSg8acC2vOP805vi2A2b3dl9xy3au4PW2OFjdOy1Sz0~5Hee6iBZ6dkSZos8auIx5raA3ZHRbfjzE8Rvvtu-b~1KFe~FiieA0ztGWMrDbRRz3dvU8ImdgZjIwCGtaQ3a7euHt~WYr7a4J9HnGR0BLBqp3wSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Stow, OH ","date","2025-04-30T07:54:01.193Z","article","The Charter Review Commission reviewed proposed amendments to term limits for the city’s elected finance director and law director, and commissioners said the change would aim to attract and retain qualified candidates.

Staff presented draft language that would read: “With the exception of completing an unexpired term, the finance director and the law director shall serve no more than three consecutive four‑year terms in the same elected office and no more than a total of 14 consecutive years.” The draft also notes a two‑year ineligibility period after disqualification by term limits.

Commission members discussed career-path differences between the offices. One commissioner said law directors often move on to judicial or other political careers, while finance directors frequently are later‑career professionals; commissioners worried that an eight‑year limit could deter candidates from seeking the finance director role. Several members said a three‑term (12‑year) option, and the 14‑year ceiling in the draft, would provide greater continuity.

Members asked staff to compile historical tenure data for both officeholders — specifically when previous law and finance directors reached (or did not reach) term limits — so commissioners could address whether past turnover supports the change. One commissioner asked whether anyone has actually reached the existing term limit; staff and members indicated that since term limits for those elected positions began, no recent officeholder had yet been forced from office by term limits but that some left for other positions.

No formal vote was taken. Commissioners agreed to hold the amendment until they receive the requested historical tenure information and to return the item for further consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Stow- Charter Review Commission- April 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The commission reviewed a draft charter amendment that would let the elected finance director and law director serve up to three consecutive four‑year terms and raise the consecutive‑year cap from 10 to 14.","taxTitle","Stow City, Summit County, Ohio","taxId",55000,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6257096,"Hudson councilor describes ranked-choice voting experience; local commission weighs effects, SB 63",3608,32000,3640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3155079-da680773dba6a2e349193f93f72ce420&start=32&end=3640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3155079-da680773dba6a2e349193f93f72ce420/thumbnail_32000.jpg","/articles/6257096/Stow-City/Summit-County/Ohio/Hudson-councilor-describes-ranked-choice-voting-experience-local-commission-weighs-effects-SB-63","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257096-8b77c0e23cd1e8f456135f2f34626f78/orig.mp4?Expires=1775598725&Signature=ADW6PbX9Dw8Go3A9uMPPMeO30G3z7WdGu2A8oWp62GP4R1KrvS17hHK1Q1hqvGwu3oQVA~dgg0F71vHDJtZXvxexTMIh5SgIYfsWDMLOLkrpihu6N70oqKOeNE4lvPfuI2IYV-1Xb3AlJPWrPFD6F3N4c5LafWGIyu5C38W6qDlzuevD-n6bNQiO8lhgsBtHHBSOJYjVNgxCsQKXe2xsSZnv1NZ6lzDZoGAlfcTuaOblmrobjAbKxXTDANwsnUkZYgQp~hOgDODZ4O2QG4CegaH5pgzWXhTfExPafnJiyj8wsU9NanyO2VsMtHl~lg9Lx8b58GKOyCCpjl5e-HAuXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Skyler Sutton, a Hudson City Council member, told the Stow City Charter Review Commission on May 1 that Hudson is reviewing a charter amendment that could add ranked-choice voting and that his experience leads him to support the method.

Sutton said ranked-choice voting “leads to more candidates, and I think more satisfying results,” and argued it can reduce the sense of disenfranchisement when the plurality winner is chosen from a crowded field. He described a Ward 1 race in Hudson where the winner received 38% of the vote and noted, “that actually means that 61% of the people did not vote for the person who held that seat for 4 years.”

The commission’s members pressed Sutton on three recurring concerns: whether voters would understand a new ballot format, how Hudson’s charter-review process will handle the change, and the potential effect of pending Ohio legislation, SB 63. Sutton said most voters are receptive once the system is explained and described Hudson’s charter review as working “paragraph by paragraph” through election provisions.

On SB 63, Sutton summarized testimony and his view of the bill: it would permit the state to withhold funding if a municipality adopts ranked-choice voting. He said proponents of the bill argue it is not a ban but a funding shift, and he added his own view that “there’s a pretty strong case to make to the Ohio Supreme Court that it probably would not hold as constitutional,” because charter cities have self-governing powers.

Commissioners discussed next steps. Members favored a separate meeting focused on ranked-choice voting with an outside expert or advocate to explain ballot mechanics and civic impacts and agreed to hold a public town hall before bringing a formal recommendation to Stow City Council. Commissioners also noted the need to track SB 63 while deciding whether to ask the council to place ranked-choice voting on the ballot in the current cycle.

The commission did not vote to send ranked-choice voting to council on May 1; members agreed instead to schedule education sessions and to gather community feedback before deciding whether to prepare an ordinance or charter amendment for the council.","A guest from nearby Hudson described that city’s conversation about ranked-choice voting and told Stow City’s Charter Review Commission that the system can increase candidate competition and voter participation; commissioners discussed voter education, legal risks from state bill SB 63 and whether to pursue the change this cycle.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6257086,"Commission debates changing Stow City council terms to four years, packaging amendments for ballot",811,1414000,2225000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3155079-da680773dba6a2e349193f93f72ce420&start=1414&end=2225","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3155079-da680773dba6a2e349193f93f72ce420/thumbnail_1414000.jpg","/articles/6257086/Stow-City/Summit-County/Ohio/Commission-debates-changing-Stow-City-council-terms-to-four-years-packaging-amendments-for-ballot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6257086-0dde8ceaae0feb4626a1139191d594bb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775598725&Signature=KvbcJws1ncRG3a4ITCUREYRXBgZ46raMgwwtvCw4oM4rUBIljMMHlx8ivwdxyiIPkCdbtho6RNr6AJejFGrnSWfN4PE0sTW9jJI6q5Ek0DfwSTi62waBd309ybiJRR8cADmHTJ-6TtrL6PqOnTTw01WIDgqAUdfVr69I4CJd0BZ2HUiaWXrPPnSvsLnsbI6ZEL8uiNTcUINCDEg7NLRwRDyAhRkWy3NWX20MEDhweMVGXBaLDecRzYP70VZySG3Bk1Ok-F~5QHbUNaQqW5xYbGl~0QFroREjB1YNBrifE8GTWZdDH8QNzfJTfT51jh5PSAQUe~Tz5l4n3Ke488z7VA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioners reviewed draft options for lengthening Stow City Council terms from two years to four years for at‑large and/or ward seats, and discussed ballot packaging, staggered terms and how the city should coordinate with the county board of elections.

Staff presented alternatives that would change both Section 21.08 (term limits) and Section 4.02 (council composition and term language). The briefing included staggered‑term options (for example, ward seats beginning four‑year terms in one election year and at‑large seats starting in a later odd year) and a draft approach that would amend both sections simultaneously or delete redundant language in Section 4.02 and defer term details to Section 21.

Commissioners focused on three process risks: (1) placing multiple interdependent charter changes on the ballot in separate questions could create contradictions if voters approve one item but not the companion item; (2) Stow City Council in prior cycles amended or declined to send past charter review recommendations to the ballot, and commissioners wanted to avoid a similar outcome; and (3) whether the Summit County Board of Elections (BOE) would accept a single-ballot question that amends multiple articles. Staff agreed to consult the BOE and to survey precedent from prior charter amendments (including a 2017 change that removed primary elections) to find how similar multi-article amendments were handled.

The commission also heard that Stow City Council had moved five charter amendment ordinances to first reading and then tabled them; commissioners noted that tableing constituted a first reading and that council has a window (discussed in the meeting) to continue consideration. Commissioners agreed to prepare a combined draft and to ask the BOE whether a single ballot measure could amend multiple charter sections, and to prioritize a subset of proposed changes so council and voters are not asked to consider too many items at once.

No amendment was sent to council at the May 1 meeting; commissioners scheduled public outreach (a town hall) and follow-up meetings to refine language and get BOE guidance before deciding which amendments to forward.","The Charter Review Commission discussed proposals to change council terms from two years to four years (for ward and at‑large seats), whether to stagger terms, how to package related charter amendments for the ballot, and how to coordinate with Stow City Council and the Summit County Board of Elections.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission considers expanding term limits for Stow City finance and law directors

Hudson councilor describes ranked-choice voting experience; local commission weighs effects, SB 63

Commission debates changing Stow City council terms to four years, packaging amendments for ballot