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Brookville council directs staff to form charter review commission, seeks up to nine public members
Summary
Law director advised council on legal steps to form a charter review commission; council directed staff to advertise for members and return a resolution to create the commission so proposed amendments can reach voters by early August.
Law Director Rod Steffen told the Brookville City Council that the city can form a charter review commission by council resolution and must follow state constitutional rules if charter amendments go to voters. The council directed staff to begin advertising for members and return a resolution establishing the commission.
Steffen said Section 11.02 of the city charter allows amendments by voters and that Article 18, Section 9 of the Ohio Constitution governs how amendments are submitted to electors. He told council that the charter has no specific provision requiring a review commission and that council may create boards or commissions by ordinance or resolution under the charter’s provisions (section 7.06). Steffen said typical commissions have five, seven or nine members and often operate for about a year.
Council members discussed size and composition. Several members said they preferred a panel of public members with a council liaison rather than council members serving as voting members. Council requested that staff allow for “up to nine” members so the city can fill seven to nine seats depending on applicant interest. Steffen advised the calendar constraint: any charter amendment intended for the ballot must be completed early in August to meet election scheduling requirements.
Council asked that staff advertise for applicants, and Steffen said staff would prepare a draft resolution and rules for the commission for a future meeting. He noted the commission’s meetings would be subject to Ohio’s open meetings and public records laws and that staff would return with an appointment process and timeline.
The council did not take a final vote to appoint members at this meeting; it instead authorized staff outreach and preparation of a resolution for future council action.
The next steps are: staff advertisement for interested residents, interviews per council preference, return of a resolution and rules for the commission, and, if council approves proposed amendments later, submission to voters consistent with the timeline Steffen described.
