Avon Lake voters to decide on charter changes

Avon Lake voters will have four proposed charter amendments on the Nov. 6 ballot for consideration.

The charter amendments approved by Avon Lake City Council on July 9 was submitted by the nine-member Avon Lake Charter Review Commission.

The proposals on the ballot address a temporary absence of the mayor, the competitive bidding process for city contracts, emergency ordinances and changes to the appointment process, and timeline for the Charter Review Commission.

The first proposed charter amendment would address situation in which the mayor was unable to fulfill mayoral duties.

If voters approve, an acting mayor would be appointed to assume mayoral duties.

If the mayor did not resume the duties after 60 days, Council would consider the office vacant.

The second proposal would amend the competitive bidding process for city contracts requiring public advertising, opening the door to tie it to requirements set out in the Ohio Revised Code, which currently is $50,000.

If approved, contracts exceeding the $25,000 threshold requiring public advertising and public bidding would be removed.

Finance Director Steve Presley said in June that all city contracts and purchases are discussed in the annual budget and require approval by Council.

By removing the $25,000 requirement, it is expected to save the city money in the long-run, Presley said.

A third proposal asks voters to approve a change, modifying a section of the charter to clarify the process for passing emergency ordinances or resolutions in City Council.

If approved, the change would allow Council to pass an ordinance with the support of two-thirds of the members of Council.

The fourth proposed amendment would advance the timeline of the Charter Review process itself, requiring the Commission to be appointed by Feb. 1.

Presently, Council has a March 1 deadline to appoint members of the Charter Review Commission.

The proposals are part of a process that takes place once every five years with the Charter Review Commission making recommendations on ways to improve the charter.