BY JANICE MORSE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON -- City council, following opposition raised by the 10 unions representing city workers, is expected to vote today to ask the Butler County Board of Elections to disregard Issue 14 when counting Tuesday's election ballots.
"I think it's an appropriate gesture and action for them to take in light of them being made aware of our concerns and action over the issue," William E. Quinn Jr., president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 20, said Tuesday.
Union leaders last week issued a statement urging citizens to vote "No" on Issue 14, which they felt would give too much power to the city manager in personnel matters.
They said it would strip the three-member Civil Service Commission of authority over personnel matters.
Mayor Tom Nye said that in hindsight, he realizes city leaders should have involved the unions in discussing the changes.
"It was our impression that the unions would not be affected by this that much," he said.
He said he would introduce legislation at tonight's council meeting to ask that Issue 14 be set aside when ballots are tabulated. The mayor said he hopes voters, however, will give due consideration to the remaining five charter amendments on Tuesday's ballot. Among other things, those issues would:
- Require at least five of seven council votes to adopt emergency legislation.
- Allow council to make payments for a "moral obligation" in cases where the city is immune from legal liability but thinks it would be appropriate to reimburse a citizen's costs, such as medical treatment or property damage.
- Allow council to provide additional compensation to the city manager under certain conditions.
- Regulate the referendum and initiative processes.
- Allow council to increase its salary, which has remained at $300 a year since the charter took effect in 1928.
