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Local Convention of States volunteers ask Carlisle council to pass nonbinding Article V resolution
Summary
Three volunteers with an organization called Convention of States urged the Carlisle City Council during public forum to pass a nonbinding resolution asking the Ohio legislature to support an Article V convention that could propose constitutional amendments.
Three volunteers with an organization called Convention of States urged the Carlisle City Council during the meeting’s public forum to pass a nonbinding resolution asking the Ohio legislature to support an Article V convention that could propose constitutional amendments.
The speakers — identified in the record as Mr. Gibbs (Convention of States volunteer), Michael Keller and John Chambers — said their group seeks amendments limited to fiscal responsibility, term limits and limits on federal power. Michael Keller, who introduced himself as a volunteer with Convention of States, said the movement is aimed at bypassing Congress to propose “a balanced budget amendment” and term limits for members of Congress so “they don't choose congress as a career.”
Council members asked the speakers to submit materials electronically and said they would review them before deciding whether to place the topic on a future work session. The council did not take formal action at the meeting.
At the forum, John Chambers said the effort is nonpartisan and argued for broad community support: “Convention of States is not partisan,” he said, adding that his door‑to‑door contacts showed two‑thirds support across partisan lines. Speakers also described the procedural threshold in Article V: 34 state legislatures must call a convention and any proposed amendments subsequently require ratification by 38 states.
Council members and staff asked the volunteers to provide a digital copy of the resolution text and other materials so members could review them at home; the volunteers offered sample resolutions from neighboring townships. Council members indicated preliminary support for placing the item on a work session agenda so the full council could review it with the member who was excused from the evening’s meeting.
No formal resolution or ordinance was introduced or voted on at the meeting; the item remained a public‑forum request and a council follow‑up.
Contact information and next steps: Council members asked the volunteers to submit the resolution text and supporting material by email so staff and council could review the documents ahead of a possible work session discussion.
