Executive Summary

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A Municipal Charter is the equivalent of a local Constitution. It defines the structure and rules that govern and guide how a City functions and serves its citizens. Not unlike the Constitution of the United States, it can be modified at any time by a vote of the citizens. Cities without a Charter must follow Ohio Law completely and absolutely.

This proposal would amend the Brunswick Charter to change the form of government from a "City Manager" form to a "Strong Mayor" form. In simple terms, the City Manager form of government is equivalent to placing the President of the United States subordinate to Congress. With a simple majority vote Congress could pass any issue at all without having to be concerned with a Presidential veto, because the President would also be hired and fired by Congress, not elected by the citizens. The proposed changes are found by clicking here. 

As you may remember from elementary school, our Founding Fathers created a system of government with checks and balances for our protection:

bulletThe President can veto any measure passed by Congress.
bulletCongress can override a Presidential veto with a 2/3rds vote.
bulletThe Supreme Court can overturn either one.
bulletCongress and the President can overturn a Supreme Court decision by modifying the appropriate law to remove the Supreme Courts objections.
bulletWe the People can amend the Constitution.
bulletWe the People directly elect the President.

Under the Brunswick City Manager system:

bulletThe City Manager cannot veto or otherwise overturn an order from City Council.
bulletThere is no veto possible. Citizens can overturn non-emergency ordinances passed by City Council if they:

1. Decide to oppose the new ordinance within 30 days and

2. Create legally acceptable petitions and

3. Collect just over 800 signatures from registered voters of Brunswick within the same 30 days since it was passed!

Even Law Director Reid noted this procedure has only been used once in his fourteen years, confirming it is totally unworkable.
bulletEmergency ordinances can never be overturned by the citizens.
bulletA simple majority of four members of City Council has total reign over Brunswick because there is no workable veto procedure except for a privately funded legal challenge.
bulletOur part time City Council is expected to supervise a full time City Manager. It simply is not possible.
bulletThe citizens of Brunswick have absolutely no say in who is hired by City Council to be the City Manager.
bulletThe citizens of Brunswick have absolutely no say in how long a City Manager can remain in office. 

A City Manager can only be replaced if 5 of the 7 Council Members vote to do it. As you have recently read, 4 of the 7 current members wanted to terminate our (now former) City Manager, but 3 of the 7 did not. 43% of the members of City Council have effectively out-voted the other 57%!
bulletIn summary, there are no built-in checks and balances except for privately funded lawsuits.

The proposed change to a "Strong Mayor" form of government would give us the equivalent of a President or a State Governor elected by the individual citizens. He or she would be put in office directly by the citizens and he or she would be removed the same way. This proposed change does not raise our taxes and it makes our government more responsive to us.
 

Copyright 2002 - Citizens for the Right to Elect - All Rights Reserved

Paid for by the committee "Citizens for the Right to Elect"

Gloria Tews -Treasurer, 3671 Ascot Dr., Brunswick, OH 44212

Last Updated: 10/30/2002