North Royalton panel narrows ballot language on who may hold City Council seats

Assistant Law Director Todd Schrader called the Collaborative Committee to order at 5:18 p.m. July 7 at North Royalton City Hall and framed the group's charge: to resolve disputed Charter language for submission to the voters. "For those of you who do not know me I'm Todd Schrader, I'm the Assistant Law Director for the City of North Royalton," he said as the meeting opened.

The committee focused on Ordinance 25-80, a proposed Charter amendment that would bar Council members from holding "any other elected or appointed public office." Clerk of Council Helen Dunlap read the relevant Charter passages (Article XVIII and Article III, Qualifications) to ensure members had the exact language in front of them. The group first considered, and rejected, a motion to permit public comment during the session after the motion received no second.

Councilman Michael Wos presented written edits that would (1) remove a redundant word from the sentence on residency, (2) retain the bar on "elected or appointed public office," and (3) add a short definition of what "elected or appointed public office" means. Wos told the committee he had "included a definition as I thought was fit" and offered the wording: "defined as any position in federal, state, county, municipal, or school district government to which a person is chosen by election or appointed by a public official or body."

That proposed definition prompted extended discussion about a separate sentence in the draft that explicitly excepted "employment with a Board of Education or school district." Assistant Law Director Schrader said the Charter Review Commission had included that exception to avoid unintentionally barring school employees such as teachers. Charter Review member Joel Spatz said his panel had reviewed model language from other cities and had recommended the provision. But Council President Paul Marnecheck and other residents who had sent comments said the carve-out had been widely read as confusing and warned it could chill potential candidates who are public employees. "I feel that would have a chilling effect on an individual seeking to run for public office," Marnecheck said.

After debate, the committee took two binding votes by roll call. First, members adopted Wos's definition of "elected or appointed public office" (recorded yeas: Michael Michalski, Joel Spatz, Michael Wos; recorded nays: Joanne Krejci, Paul Marnecheck). Next, the committee voted to remove the explicit phrase "employment with a Board of Education or school district" from the draft ballot text; the clerk recorded a majority for the change with Marnecheck opposed. The committee recorded that, following tonight's votes, the revised text would be returned to the Law Director (Tom Kelly) for final legal review and then placed back before Council for action and, if approved, submission to the Board of Elections for a public vote.

Members emphasized the committee's limited role: to agree on the exact ballot language where Council and the Charter Review Commission disagreed. Chair Joanne Krejci noted that ultimate approval and the final public decision belong to Council and voters: "On November 4th the people will vote," she said, underscoring that the ballot and electorate will decide the outcome.

The meeting ended at 6:51 p.m. with a unanimous adjournment. The clerk confirmed minutes will be retained and that the committee's revised text will proceed to the Law Department for any final legal edits before returning to Council.