SUMMIT COUNTY — Voters in Summit County will see three proposed amendments to the county charter — Issues 15-17 — on the Nov. 5 General Election ballot.
The charter, first approved by voters in November 1979, requires five-year reviews, with proposed amendments placed on the ballot requiring a minimum of two-thirds approval by voters in order for them to be adopted.
The most recent Charter Review Commission, which included James Armstrong, Helen Humphrys, Cazzell Smith Sr., Laura Wallerstein, Lisa Miller, Omar Banks, Sylvia Trundle, Katherine Procop and Jeff Snell, met October 2018 through May 2019 and submitted a final report with proposed recommendations for amendments to County Council shortly afterward.
County Council unanimously approved three of the four proposed changes at its June 17 meeting. The fourth proposed amendment included the establishment of a countywide storm water committee, with Council instead opting to address the issue through the subsequent creation of a Storm Water Management Committee.
The following proposed amendments, if approved by voters, would be effective Jan. 1:
• Issue 15 seeks to create the position of equal opportunity employment administrator and place that position under the direction of the Human Resource Commission.
Jason Dodson, former chief of staff for County Executive Ilene Shapiro, explained during a previous County Council meeting this proposed amendment seeks to have the existing equal employment opportunity administrator report to the Human Resource Commission instead of the county executive. He stated this change would “increase independence and bipartisanship and minimize the potential for political influence” in filling county positions.
• Issue 16 seeks to allow County Council to set its own rules, including its order of business and the identity, term and procedure for the election of its officers.
Summit County Councilman Clair Dickinson (D-at large) explained this amendment would allow Council to change a current requirement of meeting on the first Monday of each year to select a president and vice president and allow members instead to set a date of their own choosing, and it would also allow Council to determine the term lengths for each officer positions.
“This is a housekeeping matter about internal business and something that should not be in the charter,” he said.
• Issue 17 would provide for a uniform process for filling vacancies in County elected offices, other than the Court of Common Pleas, both before and after 120 days before an election.
Dickinson explained this proposed amendment is needed to address the current “ambiguity” of filling vacancies on Council and elected offices in Summit County. The change, if approved by voters, would allow for a temporary appointment to the elected position until the next General Election in the event a vacancy is created on or before the second year of a four-year term and 120 days or more before the election, instead of the current 40 days, at which time that person would then fill the seat for the remaining term. For vacancies created less than 120 days before an election, the appointee would fill the remaining term of the position without the need to be on the ballot.
Dickinson said another need for the change is that the current 40-day period allows for only 13 days before early voting commences, putting a strain on Summit County Board of Elections staff.
“This amendment would move the date to allow for time, mechanically, to do what needs to be done and to give candidates time to campaign before voters,” said Dickinson.
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