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Vote NO on #17 May 6 - Pepper Pike Charter Repeal
Our city is in great shape! Issue #17 on the May ballot will drastically alter the Pepper Pike Charter (in an "all or nothing" proposition). [click here for the redline]. This would radically shift power in Council's favor without any evidence this is better for Pepper Pike. Read below for the most concerning items. Vote NO to 🛑STOP THE POWER PLAY!🛑.
Our city is in great shape! Issue #17 on the May ballot will drastically alter the Pepper Pike Charter (in an "all or nothing" proposition). [click here for the redline]. This would radically shift power in Council's favor without any evidence this is better for Pepper Pike. Read below for the most concerning items. Vote NO to 🛑STOP THE POWER PLAY!🛑.
Today: Pepper Pike residents vote to select a Mayor to be the City's full-time leader and maintain our position as a top Cleveland suburb. The Mayor presides at Council meetings and can submit legislation but can not vote. Council holds the power of the vote to approve (and allocate money for) anything proposed AND can add agenda items and propose legislation.
THAT is what balanced government looks like.
Proposed: Council members (NOT YOU) appoints one of their own to be Council President (new position) to preside over meetings as a voting member. Council can give the Council President additional powers without needing your vote. The Mayor would now report to Council and the Council President. (Article III, Sections II & IIA; Article IV, Section III)
Does that sound balanced to you? Who are you supposed to hold accountable now?
Today: The Mayor, whom residents choose to lead the City, chairs the Planning & Zoning Commission. The Commission is responsible for planning & development initiatives and also handles zoning code enforcement. Council can hear appeals from Zoning decisions of the Commission. Council also has one voting member. The Mayor appoints the three (3) resident members with Council's approval (Article V, Section V).
Proposed: The Mayor is removed from the Commission entirely while the Council chooses one of their own to become the Chair and retains the right to vote. All 3 resident members (with 57 years of experience) will be dismissed and four (4) resident members are jointly appointed by Council and Mayor (7 votes to 1 vote) (Article V, Section V). Nothing precludes the President of Council from also becoming the Chair of the Commission.
Today: You already have three ways of removing the Mayor:
Vote out of office at the ballot box
Via recall petition (Article VIII, Section VIII-2)
Under Ohio law (ORC 3.08) by an independent court
Proposed: Council can unilaterally remove the Mayor (without involving the court system or voters). A minority (3) of Council members triggers the indictment of the Mayor followed by a trial by Council (Article IV, Section IV-8), removing the Mayor without voters' approval.
Today: The Mayor can unilaterally remove, without cause, the two top administrative officials: the Law Director and Treasurer (Article IV, Section V)
Proposed: Council (legislative branch) can unilaterally remove, without cause, the (executive branch) Law Director and Treasurer; the Mayor will need Council's approval to do so (Article V, Sections II & III).
Today: The Mayor works full-time with residents, businesses, commissions, committees, boards, other governmental bodies, department heads and City employees, to recommend legislation and expenditures to Council.
Proposed: The part-time Council is taking on expanded responsibilities, having authority to assume many administrative duties and authority to micromanage and control the departments. NO other area Charter gives to its Council all of the legislative and executive powers the new Replacement Charter proposes to give to Pepper Pike Council.
Today: As leader of the City, the Mayor is responsible to coordinate the operations of all departments. The Mayor can remove department heads without Council’s approval. The Mayor has the discretion to be an effective head of the executive branch and leader of the City.
Proposed: While the new Charter uses the term "CEO" to refer to the Mayor, Council will effectively control most meaningful aspects of Executive Branch powers but without holding an administrative role or operational authority. (Article V, Sections I-V)
Today: Charter reviews can occur when they are found to be needed, introduced by Mayor or Council. In 2024, the Council controlled the selection of the Charter Commission members, having 7 votes to the Mayor's 1. The Mayor, unlike all other communities' Charter Commissions, had no unique selection and appointment of his own.
Proposed: Charter reviews are prescribed every six years with Council determining the process. (Article XI-A) The selection of the Charter Commission members is recommended by the Council to be the same as in 2024, with a 7 Council votes to 1 Mayor vote method.
Paid for by Vote No On Charter Repeal
Paid for by Vote No On Charter Repeal
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