Oklahoma City voters weigh charter updates

Ward 8 Council man Mark Stonecipher says t he nine charter amendments on Tuesday's ballot assure “voters have a say in the future of this great city.”

Stonecipher co- chaired a Charter Review Committee appointed by the mayor to update Oklahoma City's foundational governing document, first approved in 1911 and, Stonecipher said, amended 13 times over the past century.

The charter outlines city government's organizational structure, specifies election procedures, authorizes the city council to pass ordinances and levy taxes, and governs contracting, among other necessities.

Proposed changes fine-tune election procedures, largely to align with state law, and make sections of the charter easier to read and understand, Stonecipher said.

He said the nine proposals were identified by the committee and staff as the changes“most needed to modernize and fix our charter so that it clearly reflects what has worked for this city since 1911.”

The city council voted unanimously to put the proposed amendments on Tuesday's ballot.

“I always say that local government impacts people's daily lives more than any other form of government,” Stonecipher said.

Stonecipher served on the 2008 advisory committee that recommended five charter amendments.

He said he thought it was instructive that the only proposal to f ail that year with voters was one to double the salaries of the mayor and council members.

“Our charter requires voter approval as to every aspect of our governing document,” he said. “In my mind, that is a very significant right held by all of our citizens.”

Mayor David Holt said he voted f or all of the charter amendments because t hey “are all necessary, straightforward updates that were vetted and recommended by a diverse group of residents.”

“Like virtually everything this city government does, these recommendations were considered through a thoughtful and inclusive process,” he said. “Residents should know that and feel comfortable voting for these updates.”