Council debates charter language on city administrator dismissal; members split on safeguards

Canal Winchester City Council members spent substantial time June 16 discussing proposed charter amendments forwarded by the Charter Review Commission and whether the charter should change the process for dismissing the city administrator.

Councilmembers noted the charter already requires council approval for appointment of the city administrator but does not constrain dismissal without cause. Councilmember Michelle Amick (name as recorded in the meeting roster) said she is concerned that a new mayor could dismiss the administrator without council input and supported adding protections. Others, including Councilmember Matt Moore, argued the mayor must retain the ability to remove executive staff to manage the administration effectively.

Law Director Thad Boggs (referred to in the meeting) said staff and city counsel could draft options, including placing directors on fixed-term contracts with severance or buyout provisions that would create financial friction for dismissals. Council discussed alternatives: charter language that requires council review before removal, contractual arrangements that allow severance payments, or retaining the existing mayor-strong model but adding clarity on cause and process.

No charter-language change was adopted June 16. Council directed staff and the law director to prepare comparison material showing how other municipalities handle appointment and removal of chief executive staff and to bring suggested language back to Committee of the Whole on June 30.

Councilmembers acknowledged the tension between executive flexibility and institutional continuity for long-tenured employees and asked staff to prepare options that balance mayoral authority with protections for career staff and continuity of service.