Brecksville Charter Review Commission Eyeing a Few Changes

A group of Brecksville residents are wrapping up the process of re-examining city’s charter.

In more than 50 years, there have only been 15 amendments to the city’s charter.

The idea behind the Charter Review Commission is to decide whether certain aspects of the city's governing document that need some updating.

The new commission began its review earlier this year, and hosted another meeting on Monday.

Among the topics covered so far include city council wards (an idea that hasn't gained much traction), changes to qualifications for the finance director post and others to the zoning code.

Whether those issues will make it to the voters isn’t yet settled.

One of the early topics of discussion is whether the city should change the spending limit — without city council approval — from $3,000.

“When I first became mayor, the spending limit was $500,” said Mayor Jerry Hruby at the Conversation With the Mayor earlier this year. “The government couldn’t spend $500 unless the council approved the expenditure.”

However in recent years, the charter commission has upped the limit to $3,000. Compare that to the state limit of $25,000.

The charter review committee is now considering boosting the cap to $7,500.

That appears to be one of the issues that will be presented when the review commission makes its final recommendations of items to head to the ballot.

“The commission has now focused into a number of areas where we believe there may be improvements or changes to the Charter which the commission may be recommending to place before the citizens for a vote,” said chairman Daniel Kolick
in a recent email.

“As far as the number of changes that may be recommended, that decision has still not been made.”

 The charter review process takes place every 10 years. The nine members, plus an alternate, are private citizens who are not currently involved in the government. The members are appointed by the mayor and approved by council.

The members discuss all aspects of the city’s charter, which is like its constitution. They also have time to talk with council and the administration and find out what’s working and what’s not. They will then make recommendations, which council has to put on the November 2013 ballot for voters to decide. Each potential change gets voted on individually. 

The meetings are open to the public. To learn more about the members of the commission or to see the agenda, visit the city’s website.

Hruby said this charter review commission has come along “quite well.”

He should know; he’s seen a few of ‘em. 

“It’s been a wonderful, free dialogue between members,” he said, adding that the commission members have all been “quite attentive and (have) come to the meetings prepared.”

“It’s a thinking group with great perception of how this government works.”

He said “they are getting ready to make the final list.”

Hruby said that the commission is getting close to making its final recommendations.

The final two meetings are slated at 10 a.m. May 11 and 7 p.m. May 29.