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Barberton rules committee advances multiple charter edits; several proposals fail
Summary
The Rules, Marketing and Development Committee reviewed more than 20 proposed Charter and code changes from a Charter Review Commission and council members; some measures (including term limits and certain appointing-authority changes) failed while others passed and will move forward for council consideration.
The Rules, Marketing and Development Committee worked through a slate of proposed amendments to the Barberton City Charter and related codified ordinances on July 14, voting on more than 20 discrete changes recommended by the Charter Review Commission and individual council members.
Several measures passed in committee, including: adding editorial clarifications and duties for the Service Director (Article 4, Section 4.02 as amended), adding qualifications for the Service Director, changing some public-notice locations, modifying several department head qualification sections (Finance, Law, Public Safety), adding a video broadcast/recording provision (Article 6, Section 6.09), and structural changes to commissions and the Charter Review Commission. Other proposals failed in committee, including proposed term limits for the mayor and adding term limits to all council positions.
Councilman Thomas Heideck and Council Member Harris (full name used at first reference) participated in extended debate over several items. Harris framed some proposals as responses to permitting and staffing concerns in the Building Department and argued for moving appointing authority for technical positions (city engineer, superintendent of utilities, building commissioner) to the Service Director to increase operational accountability. Heideck opposed some structural changes, saying recent leadership changes had corrected prior derelictions and he did not support dismantling departments.
On specific numbered items considered in committee, the transcript records multiple roll-call and voice votes. The committee recorded that some proposals (for example: removing residency requirements for appointees and adding stormwater duties to the Service Director) were approved in the committee; itemized motions and recorded “aye” and “no” votes were taken on many amendments. The committee chair and members discussed the procedural question of whether the acting vice president (Mister Griffin) could vote when seated in for the absent president; committee staff confirmed the vice president acts in place of the president for committee proceedings.
No final charter amendments were enacted at this committee meeting; the votes recorded were committee-level approvals or defeats and would need to be forwarded to full council and, where required by the charter, put on the ballot for voter approval. Council members requested clarifying rationales and specific language for proposals, and staff said they would circulate the draft wording and proceed with next steps for items that passed committee.
