Anita Kazarian candidate for University Heights City Council
Neighborhood: University Heights
Has lived in the Heights for 27 years.
Do you support the proposed changes to the University Heights Charter as approved by University Heights City Council?
I am perplexed about Council’s support of this plan. A case for change has not been made to justify this change in our City’s form of government. The adoption of this plan will result in a larger, bureaucratic and a more expensive government the taxpayers will have to support.
This proposal will give the vice-mayor unheard of control of Council members. The City Administrator, earning $100,000+ a year, has no direct accountability to the electorate. This plan still keeps the existing mayor’s position and salary of $33,750 a year for a mayor who will no longer manage our City. I am disappointed this Council decided to hand pick ten of the eleven members of the Commission, preventing elected representatives of the voters from participating. Finally, Council repeatedly said an elected council member or mayor does not know how to run a city, and yet, this proposal allows a councilman or mayor to be appointed City Administrator if out of office only twelve months.
I trust the wisdom of University Heights voters to elect a government accountable to them. I do not support this proposal.
Describe one way that you think the city could realistically work cooperatively with other local governments to reduce costs and/or improve services.
University Heights can reduce costs and improve services if it approaches regionalization with a well- structured and documented long-term plan, not randomly as is now
done.
This will identify potential services that will benefit from regional cooperation, identify cost savings, then prospective partners. Public forums will ensure citizen collaboration and approval.
The “business as usual” mentality is no longer a valid business model. University Heights streets need curbs and road paving, as do our neighboring cities. By collaborating with neighboring cities, we can form a buying consortium. This consortium will ask for bids and
award a contract from a strong purchasing power position. Vendors will negotiate better contracts with us when the stakes are high. Vendors, cities and University Heights will all benefit from my recommended process.
For more information about this candidate visit kazarianforcouncil.