CITY NEWSLETTER Fall 2020 What’s Inside WOOSTER – A CHARTER CITY CHARTER BALLOT PERFORMANCE REVISIONS DASHBOARD Leaf Pick Up | Trick or Treat | DORA | Recycling Info | Hazardous Waste Collection Mayor Breneman’s Message As we are all aware, COVID’s appearance in our community started quite a few months ago. Even though the virus is still present in our city and county, and we City Newsletter | Fall 2020 have experienced sickness and tragically loss, I want to focus on the many good things we have going for us. We are truly blessed to live, work, and have family and friends Inside This Edition in this beautiful city and county we call home. Message from the Mayor 1 Please take time to step away from the news media, Wooster – A Charter City 2 election turmoil, and daily briefings to reflect on what Ballot Summaries 3 makes Wooster and our agrarian heritage so special in Performance Dashboard 9 life today. We are far better off living through this virus than what was originally predicted. Our city is operating well in all of our critical Trick or Treat 13 service lines (Hospital, Police, Fire/EMS, Water, Wastewater, Maintenance and Getting Noticed 14 Utilities), and we have a solid economy fueling our lives and needs. Santa’s Mailbox 14 Take a moment to enjoy all the good that surrounds us; fall colors, starry nights, Recycling 15 cool weather, friends and family, holidays, and our health. There are many things Hazardous Waste 15 that try to pull us down; make sure you balance those with the abundance of good Infrastructure Updates 16 that surrounds every day! Normal life is coming. Leaf Pickup Schedule 17 Bob Breneman – Mayor of Wooster City Operations 19 STAY INFORMED! Visit WoosterOH.com Follow us @cityofwooster 1 City of Wooster | Fall 2020 Wooster – A Charter City The City of Wooster became a Charter form of government in 1972. A municipal charter acts as the city’s constitution and defines the organization, powers, functions and essential procedures of a city government. Per our Charter, beginning in 1980 and every ten years thereafter, a review board consisting of nine members is appointed by City Council. The Charter Review Board’s duty is to review and make recommendations to City Council. This year (2020) marks the fifth time for the Charter to be reviewed and amended. A HUGE THANK YOU to these dedicated residents for their hard work reviewing the Charter this spring. They began their public meetings normally meeting at City Hall, but once COVID hit, transitioned quite efficiently to ZOOM meetings. Ward 1: Ray Leisy, Jennifer Shatzer Ward 2: Mark Weaver, Martha Bollinger, Beth Patton Ward 3: Jolene Dyer, Carol McKiernan Ward 4: Matt Long, Stewart FitzGibbon, Stuart Webster, Louise Keating These representatives made their recommendations to City Council. City Council conducted three readings of Ordinance 2020-20 before approving it at the July 6, 2020 council meeting. The amendments now come before you, the voters, at the November 3rd election. There will be five separate ballots. e. Allows notice of public meetings to be set at least five days prior to the last day BALLOT 1 be made electronically in addition to for filing candidacy and may not be changed Ballot 1 amends Article II: The Council traditional methods. during the term. New or amended language in BOLD A majority affirmative vote is necessary Commencing on or about January 1, 2011, Italics. Language deletions appear as for passage. and every four years thereafter, Council, in strikethroughs. consultation with the Mayor, will appoint Shall Article II of the Charter of the City a Compensation Commission consisting Proposed Charter Amendment City of Wooster be changed and amended as of nine seven resident electors who will of Wooster: follows: be charged with reviewing and making This amendment, if passed would: ARTICLE II: THE COUNCIL recommendations to the Mayor and Council of the amounts regarding the salary a. Clarify the Charter definition of SECTION 2.03. COMPENSATION AND amount to be paid the Mayor and members compensation. BONDS. of Council. No more than four members of b. Reduce the number of Compensation Compensation and bonds for City officials the Compensation Commission shall be of Commission members from nine to and employees shall be established by the same political party. seven for ease of recruitment. ordinance of Council. The definition of “compensation” includes monetary SECTION 2.07. MEETINGS OF COUNCIL. c. Allow for flexibility in the scheduling of compensation, such as wages, salary, In each calendar month, excepting July and City Council meetings. and benefits. This does not preclude the August, the Council shall hold at least two d. Changes the title of “emergency City Administration’s negotiating with City regular meetings, the time and place of which ordinances” to “ordinances in need if employee groups regarding wages and shall be prescribed by ordinance. Meetings immediate enactment.” This title allows fringe benefits. Salaries and benefits of may be scheduled in the months of July for more clarity for the public. elected officials for the ensuing term shall and August as determined by the Mayor City of Wooster | Fall 2020 2 and the Council President, but are not the enactment, amendment or repeal of any A majority affirmative vote is necessary required. Any meeting of Council may be zoning or building resolution or ordinance, or for passage. cancelled if, as determined by the Mayor in the changing of any ward boundaries, or Shall Articles III and IV of the Charter and the Council President, there is no in authorizing any change in the boundaries of the City of Wooster be changed and business before Council. of the Municipality, shall be enacted amended as follows: immediately as an emergency ordinance. A majority of all Council members elected or ARTICLE III: THE MAYOR duly appointed shall constitute a quorum to SECTION 2.17. PUBLICATION OF do business, but a lesser number may adjourn RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES. SECTION 3.02. ADMINISTRATIVE by majority vote from day to day and compel POWERS. All resolutions and ordinances must the attendance of absent members in such The Mayor shall exercise supervision be published after enactment by title, manner and under such penalties as may be and control over all of the Administrative number, and summary within the City. Such prescribed by ordinance or resolution. Departments of the City, as described in publication shall announce that a copy of Section 4.04 of the Charter of the City Special meetings may be held on the call of the resolution or ordinance is available at of Wooster of the City. S/he shall be the the Mayor or of a majority of the members the office of the Clerk of Council. As used chief conservator of the peace within the and, whenever practicable, upon no less in this Charter, the terms “published” City and shall see that all laws, ordinances than twelve hours’ notice to each member. and “publication” shall mean to post the and resolutions are faithfully obeyed and If a member cannot be located personally, legislation or summary thereof in at least enforced. S/he shall be the ceremonial head a written notice of the time and date of three public places as are designated by of the City. the special meeting shall be left at his last ordinance of Council, and to take such other known place of residence in the City. actions as may be provided by Council. S/he shall have the power: One of the three public places may be SECTION 2.11. EMERGENCY publishing by means of electronic media. (1) To appoint, promote, transfer, reduce ORDINANCES IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE or remove any officer, employee, or ENCACTMENT. appointee of the City in a manner consistent with the provisions of this When necessary for the preservation of Charter; the public peace, health, and welfare or BALLOT 2 safety, or providing for the usual daily (2) To initiate departmental reorganization in accordance with Section 4.078; operation of a municipal department or Ballot 2 amends Article III: Mayor and division, the Council, by an affirmative Article IV: Administrative Officers, (3) To exercise those judicial powers vote of three-fourths of the members, Departments and Commissions granted to mayors under the general may adopt an emergency ordinance which laws of Ohio: shall set forth and define the specific facts New or amended language in BOLD (4) To perform other powers and duties necessitating the immediate enactment of Italics. Language deletions appear as granted by ordinance or resolution. the ordinance emergency. Such emergency strikethroughs. ordinances shall require no public hearings SECTION 3.04. MAYOR’S VETO POWER. and shall take effect at the time indicated Proposed Charter Amendment City Upon authentication, every ordinance and therein. Emergency Ordinances in need of of Wooster: resolution shall be presented to the Mayor by immediate enactment shall be published as the Clerk of Council. If the Mayor approves other ordinances after passage. This amendment, if passed would: such ordinance or resolution, s/he shall sign and return it, but if s/he does not approve it, SECTION 2.12. ACTIONS NOT a. Make the Charter easier to understand s/he shall return it to the Clerk of Council PERMITTED TO BE IMMEDIATELY as to the Mayor’s supervisory and with a statement of his/her objections to the ENACTED AS EMERGENCIES. procedural duties. Council. This shall be recorded in its journal. b. Provides for a succession plan for the No action of Council authorizing the Director of Law and clarifies how the The Council may then reconsider the vote surrender or joint exercise of its powers, or in Director of Law and the Director of on the passage of such legislation, not granting a franchise, or in establishing new Finance are appointed.