Vote ‘No’ on Saratoga Springs City Charter change again
On Election Day, Tuesday November 6th, Saratoga Springs voters will be asked once again to decide on changes to the City Charter. Unlike last year’s vote for a new form of government that would have brought about real positive change in how our city operates (change that I supported), this new exercise at Charter revision represents a dismal failure.
For many reasons to numerous to outline here, this latest iteration of Charter change offers a strange mix of city leadership within the confines of City Hall. By calling for the creation of two junior members to be added to the City Council, Saratoga Springs would in effect have a two-tiered system of City Council representation. How this would work, is anyone’s guess.
In theory, however, it is assumed the five senior members would be responsible for running City departments (as currently exists) and the two new junior members would have no connection whatsoever to city departments or day-to-day operations. Also, because of cost constraints, it is assumed the two junior members would have no executive staff or no Deputy. How they would operate and interact with the other majority and more senior Council members in dealing with department issues, budgets and policies is again, anyone’s guess.
Of equal concern, is the stripping of the Mayor’s powers and responsibilities by those city officials who drafted this new proposal in the first place.
Under their new proposal, why is it Ok for the Public Works Commissioner to be able to singularly appoint the City Engineer, or for the Public Safety Commissioner to unilaterally appoint the Police Chief, all without City Council ratification or approval? Allowing this, while at the same time requiring City Council approval for the Mayor’s appointments to the City’s land use boards including the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals.
Removing the Recreation Commission and recreation programing out from under the Mayor’s responsibility and placing it under the Department of Public Works is another major problem included with this new proposal. The responsibility for administering the City’s recreational programs, oversight of the Recreation Commission and the scheduling of programs was always best handled under the supervision of the Mayor’s office. The Department of Public Works should not be responsible for administration of the Recreation Commission, the scheduling recreational programs and the hiring of seasonal coaches; it’s simply a bad fit.
Removing the City Attorney out from under supervisory control of the office of the Mayor is another bad idea. Under this proposal the City Attorney will in-effect be his or her own boss, answerable to no one individual. For anyone familiar with the politics of City Hall, this action alone, should leave city residents questioning the motive here.
On Election Day city voters have another chance to say No to Charter change and this time they can say it twice. Vote “No” on Charter Proposition 1 and 2.