Charter Review Commission delivers nine recommendations; council backs shorter review cycle

Members of the Orange Village Charter Review Commission presented nine recommended amendments and urged the council to consider a shorter review cycle.

Ned Van Vulenberg, the commission spokesperson, summarized the panel’s work and said the group forwarded nine recommendations to council, including updating archaic language (for example, replacing “state militia” with “Ohio National Guard”), clarifying residency and attendance expectations for elected officers, giving clearer delegation language for mayoral authority, and allowing council to obtain special counsel when the law director’s office needs outside perspective. The commission also recommended moving the charter review schedule from every eight years to every six years so the commission can address issues more frequently.

“We ended up making nine recommendations that were forwarded to council for review and consideration,” Ned Van Vulenberg said. He told council the commission wanted earlier notice and more lead time so future commissions would have a full year to work and more opportunity for public input.

Council members generally voiced support for the recommendations, with several saying that appointing the commission earlier in the cycle and giving it more time would help produce better work. The law director explained the practical election-calendar constraints for placing charter amendments on a ballot and confirmed that any proposed change would require council action (five votes to place an item before voters) before submission to the board of elections.

What’s next: Councilors agreed to review the commission’s recommendations and to consider drafting a single package for the ballot if there is sufficient consensus. The commission’s minutes and the proposed language will remain part of the public record for council deliberations.