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Broadview Heights council places five charter amendment measures on November ballot
Summary
City council listed five proposed amendments to the Broadview Heights charter for submission to voters in November, including new council term limits, expanded mayoral purchasing and contracting authority up to $25,000 with a 3% annual escalation, a restriction on timing of municipal levies, and gender-neutral reprinting.
Council President Robert Boldt presided over the Broadview Heights City Council meeting on May 18, when members reviewed five proposed charter amendments that the city will present to voters in the November municipal election.
The measures listed for second reading would: 1) impose limits on council service by amending Article III to allow no more than three consecutive four-year terms (12 consecutive years) for councilpersons, with terms served prior to the amendment’s effective date not counted (Ordinance 07-2026); 2) amend Article IV to authorize the mayor to enter into contracts on behalf of the city without prior council approval when the contract value is $25,000 or less, with an annual increase to the $25,000 threshold of 3% beginning Jan. 1, 2028 (Ordinance 08-2026); 3) add a parallel purchasing authorization allowing the mayor to make purchases up to $25,000 under the same escalation schedule (Ordinance 09-2026); 4) amend Article XI to require municipal tax levies to be placed on the ballot only for municipal elections held in November of any calendar year (Ordinance 10-2026); and 5) revise Article XIV so gender-specific terms in the charter are changed to gender-neutral terms upon reprinting (Ordinance 11-2026).
Law Director Vince Ruffa responded to council questions about how those measures will appear to voters. "So the specific language that you see now is how it's going to be unless the Board of Elections comes back and says, look, we need you to tweak it," Ruffa said. He added that the ballot wording will be adjusted to read appropriately for voters rather than reproducing the ordinance preamble verbatim.
Councilor Joe Price asked whether the council could amend the measures after they were submitted. Ruffa replied, "No," and clarified that the body could, if it wished, introduce separate or competing legislation with different language.
The minutes record the ordinances as second reading items only; no final votes or adoptions on the charter amendments are recorded in the meeting minutes.
Mayor Samuel J. Alai also told councilors he will submit resumes for two Human Services Board positions at the next Monday meeting.
No resident comments were recorded during the public comment period. The council adjourned at 8:12 p.m.
