Charter review panel reexamines Canal Winchesterstrong-mayor plan and whether council should confirm city administrator

Thad Boggs, the citylaw director, told the charter review commission that Canal Winchestercharter currently establishes a strong-mayor form of government. "Section 1.02 talks about the form of government that we have in Canal Winchester being a strong mayor council plan," Boggs said, reviewing the charter language and examples from nearby municipalities.

The commission discussed whether to recommend adding a requirement that the mayorappointed city administrator be confirmed by city council. Supporters said confirmation would create an additional check on mayoral appointments; opponents said the electorate and existing removal or recall processes already provide checks and that adding confirmation could slow administration. One commissioner said it might be prudent "to potentially consider having the administrator confirmed by counsel," while another responded that voters are the primary check and that council can discourage a poor appointment through budget actions.

Boggs explained the functional difference between a mayorappointed city administrator and a councilhired city manager: the administrator serves "at the pleasure of the mayor," while a manager is hired and removable by council under contract terms. He noted the charter language that created the administrator position (Section 5.06) and that council implemented that authority in April 2023. "The city administratorthe duties of that position are not laid out, are not enumerated in the charter except to say that they take on functions that are delegated by the mayor," Boggs said.

Commissioners asked about specific safeguards if confirmation is added, including whether council could set time limits for its confirmation vote or require a simple majority versus a supermajority for confirmation or removal. Commissioners also discussed how salary ranges are set: Boggs said council adopts salary ranges and that the administrator's pay range is established by council but the charter does not prescribe detailed duties or compensation formulas.

The panel agreed to retain the item on its list for further consideration and to draft possible language for the commission to vote on later. Boggs reiterated that any charter amendment the commission recommends would still require council action to place it on the ballot and voter approval to take effect.

The discussion closed with commissioners asking staff to gather comparative charter language (examples of jurisdictions that require council confirmation and time frames for confirmation) and to return with draft language and analysis for the commission to consider.