Rules committee advances broad package of proposed Barberton charter amendments to full council

The Rules, Marketing and Development Committee of Barberton City Council on May 27 voted to send a broad package of proposed charter amendments to the full council, advancing changes that would add term limits, alter appointment and staffing rules, move certain duties between departments and remove a residency requirement from the charter.

The committee, chaired by Councilmember Miller, advanced the items in a series of voice votes after an extended review of the draft charter prepared by the Charter Commission. Proposals now headed to all of council include limits on consecutive terms for the mayor and council president, shifting some department appointment authorities, adding stormwater duties to the public-service director, and removing a requirement that certain employees live within the city.

Committee members said the package is intended to modernize the charter and to conform the document to state law in several places. "We're going to work on getting these passed through my committee tonight," Miller said during the meeting as she guided members through each draft change. Committee members repeatedly moved individual items by motion and voice vote and then agreed to forward the set to the full council for discussion and possible amendment.

Key proposals advanced by the committee

- Term limits: The draft would limit the mayor to three consecutive terms beginning with the 2027 general election and would limit the council president to three consecutive terms. The committee voted to advance those term-limit proposals.

- Residency requirement removal: The committee voted to delete language that would require certain city employees to live in Barberton; members said the provision is inconsistent with a recent court ruling and must be removed from the charter.

- Departmental reorganization and qualifications: The package would add stormwater management to the duties of the director of public service, add minimum qualifications for the finance and law directors (including a five-year law-practice requirement and no disciplinary sanctions for the law director), and make certain director-level posts classified positions appointed by other directors rather than created in the charter.

- Building inspection and planning changes: The Charter Commission's draft removes the division of building inspection; the committee voted to advance that change and to move planning and property-maintenance duties under the planning director. That change would also remove the building commissioner from various boards referenced in the charter.

- Public information and public notice: The committee voted to remove a separate charter-level director of public information and to place those duties under the director of public safety in the charter text, while clarifying that council can require physical posting through ordinance if it chooses. The committee also voted to eliminate the charter requirement for physical posting of ordinances and resolutions, reflecting the shift toward online publication.

- Boards and commissions: The committee voted to remove some statutorily obsolete commissions and to consolidate language so the mayor appoints representatives to external boards with council confirmation. The committee also advanced a new provision requiring that boards and commissions be video- and/or audio-recorded for public access (committee members amended that item to read "video and/or audio").

Why it matters

The proposed package touches elections, department structure, public transparency and the city’s interface with state law. If council approves some or all of these charter changes, many will either require further ordinance work to implement or, for those changing the charter itself, a public vote. Council members flagged both operational and legal questions during the debate, including how services and revenues would be affected if the building-inspection division were removed.

Mayor’s concerns and committee context

At the legislative meeting later that evening, the mayor urged caution on the plan to eliminate the building-inspection division, asking, "What's the plan? Eliminating the building department eliminates revenue. You're adding expenses and responsibilities, but cutting revenue." He asked how the city would handle plan review, permits and inspections if the function were removed from the charter and whether state building standards or the Ohio Revised Code would be affected.

Some council members said the committee stage is intended to present all proposed changes for full-council consideration rather than to finalize language. "This is to put it in front of everybody, because we feel it's very important that everybody's talking about this and voting on it," said committee vice chair Greer, noting the intent was to open the items to the full council rather than to conceal changes made in committee.

Concerns about bundling and the ballot

Committee members and other councilors also discussed whether to present amendments individually or grouped on a single ballot. Councilmember Thompson said grouping major changes — such as term limits, removing at-large council seats, eliminating two council positions and switching to nonpartisan elections — could overwhelm voters. "I feel like if this is something to be all grouped together, having things on there such as term limits ... removing two council members ... that's gonna be a problem," Thompson said.

Next steps

All items advanced by the Rules, Marketing and Development Committee will be presented to the full council for consideration. Some items may be revised to ordinances rather than charter amendments, the committee indicated. Council will decide which proposals to place on the ballot and whether they will be bundled or offered separately.