Wednesday, March 15, 2000
Hamilton again tries new charter
Panel's goal: November ballot
BY JANICE MORSE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — After at least 84 tries at tinkering with the city's charter, it might be time to start anew.
That's the thinking behind the Charter Review Committee, which is inviting citizens to help make sure every word makes sense — something that's difficult with the current charter.
“It's hard to understand. It's extremely wordy where it doesn't need to be,” said committee Chair Carla Fiehrer. “We need to make it shorter, make it more effective, still make it personal for Hamilton, yet bring it into the 21st century.”
The committee's goal is to put together a new charter — perhaps retaining some sections of the present one — in time for it to be placed on this fall's ballot. That means the group probably will have to work fast to deliver a final draft to City Council by mid-June, Mrs. Fiehrer said.
Past, piecemeal efforts to bring the charter up to date usually have failed.
While voters have approved 27 changes to the charter since it took effect in 1928, there have been at least 57 unsuccessful amendment efforts, including those City Council repealed even before they hit the ballot.
The most recent defeats came in November 1998, when a slate of five charter amendments was walloped into oblivion.
“From a lot of voters at the last election, we heard: "It's so complicated, I don't understand it. So I'm voting no.' We heard that loud and clear,” Deputy City Manager Mark Brandenburger said.
Citizens are invited to a meeting at 7:30 p.m. tonighton the third floor of the Robinson-Schwenn building at High Street and Journal Square. This will be the first of many chances for the public to have its say about the charter, Mrs. Fiehrer said.
“This is an open invitation for anyone who wants to serve (the committee) or just wants to come and offer their opinions and walk away,” she said. “We encourage it. We hope for it. We're trying to dismiss this apathy in our community, to put our energy into something really positive.”
Long-debated issues in Hamilton — such as the method for electing the mayor and council members — are coming to the fore, said Mayor Adolf Olivas, “and we're going to let the citizens direct the course.”
Among the more controversial issues: council's $300 annual salary, unchanged since it was set by the charter 72 years ago. Mrs. Fiehrer said she doesn't want that issue to overshadow all the others.
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