HomeMy WebLinkAboutPress release may 2004
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE
DATE: April 5, 2005
CONTACT: Ann Seltzer, Management Analyst
City of Ashland
552-2106 or 488-6002
Charter Review Committee
Ashland citizens interested in serving on the charter review committee are encouraged to contact
the office of the City Recorder at 488-5307 for an application and information packet. The deadline to
apply is May 27. The Mayor will review all applications and appoint a committee soon thereafter.
A city charter is viewed as the city's constitution. Cities and counties update their charters for a
variety of reasons: to clarify lines of authority, to clarify confusing language, to improve the efficiency
and cost effectiveness of government, to eliminate obsolete, conflicting and ambiguous provisions.
Because the needs of communities' change, and State and Federal laws change, it is important that a
charter be updated periodically and reflect the current times. Ashland's city charter was last amended in
the early 1970s.
The city council recently approved a resolution to appoint a charter review committee. The
primary function of the committee is to review the existing charter to determine if it will adequately
serve the community well in to the future. If necessary, the committee is to prepare a draft charter for the
City of Ashland, which will be reviewed by the city council for placement on the ballot for the voters of
Ashland. A charter can only be amended by a vote of the people.
The nine-member committee, consisting of two former elected officials and seven at large
members is expected to be impartial, non-biased and free of any perceived political gain and to have
some expertise and knowledge of the workings of local government. The council encourages the
committee to seek every opportunity to educate the community about the process and purpose of a
City of Ashland Tel: 541-488-6002
20 East Main Street Fax: 541-488-5311
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
charter review, the importance of a city charter, to engage the public throughout the process and actively
solicit public input.
Expectations of the Charter Review Committee
"Membership on a charter review committee is accepting responsibility for leadership in the most
important single civic effort that any community can undertake. The duty of leadership is to find the
highest attainable level of improvement, not just a token advance. Statesmanlike compromise is simply
a means to this end." Guide for Charter Commission, National League of Cities
Purpose and Overview
The primary function of the charter review committee is to review the existing charter to determine if it
will adequately serve the community well into the future. If necessary, the committee is to prepare a
draft charter for the City of Ashland. The proposed charter will ultimately be reviewed by the city
council for placement on the ballot for the voters of Ashland.
The committee must be impartial, non-biased, and free of any perceived political gain and may approach
the task in whatever means results in a document that best serves the citizens of Ashland.
In addition to adhering to the Oregon Public Meetings law, the committee will strive to include the
community beyond the requirements of the law. The council encourages the committee to seek
opportunities to educate the community about the process and purpose of a charter review, the
importance of a city charter and to solicit community input.
It is the council's experience that undertakings of this scope are best achieved within a set timeline
during which committee members are focused on achieving the task in a timely manner. Stretching a
task over a period of many months can result in a committee that loses focus, interest and drive and a
drop in attendance. As such, the council requests that the committee develop a timeline so that the
proposed amendments can be placed on the earliest possible ballot.
The city will engage the services of a consultant with expertise in charter reviews and revisions that will
assist the committee as detailed in the attached Expectations of the Charter Review and Revision
Consultant.
Membership
The committee will be comprised of nine voting members: two former elected city officials, and seven
other citizens.
An alternate committee member will also be selected and will serve as a non-voting member. Should a
member of the committee be unable to fulfill duties, the alternate will assume the role of the voting
member. The city attorney will attend all meetings and will act in an advisory role and a current city
employee will staff the committee.
(end)
City of Ashland Tel: 541-488-6002
20 East Main Street Fax: 541-488-5311
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us