The City Council has approved placing a question on the November ballot asking voters whether they want to establish a commission to study the city's special charter.
The commission would have five members also chosen by voters. Names of those who successfully submit petitions to serve on the commission will also be on the ballot. Each petition must be signed by 100 voters.
Voters must approve both the question and the commissoners in order for the study to take place.
The current structure of three departments under which all divisions fall is one topic to be studied. A Charter Study Committee that conducted a study in 1990 targeted the Department of Public Affairs & Safety for replacement by a Department of Human Services. The department currently only includes the Police and Fire divisions, but formerly also included health and welfare as well as recreation.
The eight-member committee interviewed former mayors and council members as well as other officials for their report. It was presented to the City Council on June 30, 1990, but the governing body took no action on charter change through the state Legislature.
A recent concern over the special charter is that it contains language stating that the corporation counsel shall be the "chief legal advisor" both to the mayor and to the governing body. The administration and council have found themselves at loggerheads over several issues in the past couple of years and each entity has sought separate counsel.
City Clerk Abubakar Jalloh has prepared petition forms for those interested in serving on the commission. The clerk's office is in City Hall, 515 Watchung Ave. The ballot on Nov. 6 will also include school board candidates for the first time, as well as two City Council slots, the Third Ward and Citywide at-large seats.
--Bernice
Why doesn't the Council review the previous study? Is there any need to reinvent the wheel?
ReplyDeleteThat would definitely be a good starting point for the new committee but the prior report is already 22 years old so reinvention of the wheel seems appropriate.
ReplyDeleteBernice, Charge a quarter for each time someone says "All this is doing is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic" and you will have enough to move to the biggest house in Sleepy Hollow [I do not know if you could handle the taxes though]
ReplyDeleteThe houses in Sleepy Hollow aren't large at all. Should be renamed Cottage Hollow
DeleteReorganization means only 1 thing. That is that people are not getting along. Faulkner Acts gives 5 or 6 types of governing body to have, strong mayor, weak mayor, council manager, etc pick anyone and the Democrats in Plainfield would still argue, except they would agree to have a new charter study. Sign me - been around this town a long time and know there are just some angry people around.
ReplyDeleteJ.H., you are so right! So many folks are always looking for something to fight about--that's one reason nothing ever gets done here.
ReplyDelete