University Heights residents: Are your Charter Review Commission questions getting answered?

On April 13 Concerned Citizens for University Heights convened a community dialogue to discuss and voice concerns about the city’s Charter Review Commission. Following that meeting, I presented an outline of the concerns expressed by the community to the Charter Review Commission.

University Heights residents are concerned with the reasons for a revised government structure. To date, the commission has focused on proposed changes to our government, while failing to explain why these changes are needed. Why rush changes to our government to the ballot this year? What is the dire predicament that has resulted in the proposed charter amendments?

Because the commission's review efforts were at city council’s request, the commission may not be in a position to answer these questions, so on April 20, I presented the following questions to city council directly:

1) What are the specific issues that the city is facing that council believes only a restructured government is capable of dealing with, and how will a restructured government deal with those issues?

2) Why has council established a timeframe that pushes for proposed changes to be voted on and implemented in 2010, rather than allowing more time for residents to understand the immediate issues and provide suggestions for alternatives?

3) If the city has specific issues that need to be dealt with, why not address them through ordinance rather than a charter amendment?

4) Could council provide an estimate as to the additional cost of a city administrator? 

Council has heard several comments over the past months from residents indicating that they feel excluded. I feel resident input may be more effective and valued if council and the commission enumerate the specific reasons why they are tracking toward a government structure change as an imminent ballot issue. Again, I feel that we are being provided the opportunity to hear about what the commission is proposing, and not why they are proposing the change.

On May 19, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Wiley Junior High, there will be a public town hall meeting to discuss the proposed changes the commission has developed. I urge all residents to attend, after all we will be voting on this, and we should understand the impact it will have on our city.

Rick Adante lives in University Heights on Fenwick Road and plans to run for city council in the November 2009 election.