Charter reviewers debate council authority over pay and city property after Johnson's example

Commissioners spent a substantial portion of the Feb. 5 meeting scrutinizing Article III's description of council powers, including Section 3.01(4) which covers establishing positions and compensation.

Commissioner Stacey Boumis said the provision risked letting council micromanage day-to-day operations and argued that "the mayor should have control over work hours, staff, compensation of employee" subject to the budget. City Administrator Peoples clarified, "The council doesn't set the actual rate of the employees, but they set the salary schedule pay scales," and noted staff recommends salary schedules to council and appropriations ultimately constrain administrative action.

Commissioner Adam Karshner proposed limiting the city's ability to purchase real property that could later be leased to private parties, citing concerns the city could undercut private developers or favor a single tenant. "I don't believe government at any level should be in the business of real estate," Karshner said. Others disagreed: Commissioner Boumis called Johnson's a "huge win for downtown," arguing city ownership enabled redevelopment when private capital was lacking. Commissioner Brad MacBrair added that prolonged vacancies harm downtown business owners.

Commissioner James Steelesmith proposed a supermajority requirement for certain property transactions. Law Director Boggs cautioned that embedding specific timing or price windows in the charter could impair flexibility or discourage potential private partners, and suggested some controls may be better handled via ordinance rather than constitutional charter language.

No charter amendments or binding votes on property restrictions were taken at the meeting; commissioners agreed to draft possible language for future consideration and to continue discussion at a subsequent session.