Charter Review Commission adds temporary-succession language for finance and law directors and forwards amended sections to council

The Stow City Charter Review Commission approved language clarifying temporary succession for the finance director and the law director and voted to forward the amended charter sections to City Council for consideration at the April 24 meeting.

The commission inserted a sentence into the acting finance director provision specifying that “in the event that the assistant director of the general division is vacant at the time that the finance director is temporarily unable to perform their duties pursuant to this section, the mayor shall appoint an acting finance director from within the finance department until such time as the finance director is able to resume the performance of their duties.” A staff presenter explained the language is intended to ensure continuity of operations and to limit the mayor’s appointment to personnel who already work for the city’s finance department.

Commission members also added parallel language for the law director: if the deputy law director post is vacant when the law director becomes temporarily unable to perform duties, the mayor would appoint an acting law director from within the law department until the law director can resume duties.

During the meeting commissioners corrected a typographical error in the draft title (changing “Article 20” to “Article 6”) and approved separate motions to (a) amend the title and (b) submit the revised Article 6 (version 2) and Article 9 to council. The commission chair said the items will be presented to council at its April 24 meeting; the chair also said Council President Feldman plans to place the commission’s proposed charter amendments on that agenda after a committee presentation.

Motions and votes recorded at the meeting included approval of the March minutes; a motion and second to amend the title to “Article 6” (passed by voice vote); and motions to submit Article 6 (version 2) and Article 9 to council (each approved by voice vote). The meeting record shows unanimous “Aye” responses when the commission voted on these items.

What the commission did not decide at this meeting was final adoption by the council. The amendments will next be considered by City Council, which may hold public hearings, request revisions or refer items back to the commission. The commission’s role in this step is advisory: it drafts and forwards proposed charter language for council and, ultimately, voter consideration.

The staff presenter who described the new sentences said the changes are intended only for temporary incapacity (for example, medical leave or inaccessibility) and not to replace the permanent officeholder. The commission asked and received clarification that separate motions were required for each amended section and that the submissions would appear on the council agenda as described.

The meeting record shows the amended items will be formally presented to council on April 24. No final charter change was adopted at the commission level; any enactment would require council action and, in some cases, voter approval per the charter and Ohio law.