Pepper Pike council continues second reading of proposed charter changes amid split public comment

The Pepper Pike City Council on Jan. 14 continued a second reading of ordinance 2025-01, the Charter Review Commission—9s package of proposed changes to the city charter, with extended remarks from council members and lengthy public comment both for and against the reforms.

Council President James LeMay framed the revisions as a mix of operational improvement and protection against future risks, saying the commission—9s work was intended "to make the city government function better on a day to day basis and also about strengthening the guardrails, to protect the city under circumstances in the future." He noted the commission—9s goal was not to fix a presently broken government: "The reform commission isn't about something being broken in the city. There's nothing broken in the city."

The proposed charter would, among other changes discussed at length, establish a president of council who presides at council meetings rather than the mayor; change the composition and role of the planning commission to reduce executive representation and add more citizen members; add a removal mechanism by council for elected officials for "gross misconduct, malfeasance, or nonfeasance"; and set residency requirements for candidates (a two-year residency minimum for council and four years for mayor were discussed). The council and the…