CMLawLibraryBlog

Help Revise the Cleveland City Charter

Sue Altmeyer, Electronic Services Librarian, sue.altmeyer@law.csuohio.edu | June 09, 2008 - 12:03

The City of Cleveland is in the process of reviewing its Charter** , and is asking for input from city residents. See the Charter Review Commission homepag e. The City reviews its charter every 20 years. See the Charter, Chap. 39, Section 200-1.

The City Charter is like a constitution. It establishes the basic structure of the government, a system of checks and balances, mechanisms for accountability of city officials, and the basic civil service system for city employees. Some of the changes to the charter discussed by Charter Review Commission include:

Changes to allow the creation of a new Airport Police Force and a new Airport Rescue and Fire Force, under the control of the Director of Port Control, not the Safety Director.
Raising the dollar amount which city contracts must be competitively bid from $10,000 to $50,000.
Changes to the civil service system for city employees.
Shortening the period during which citizens can petition for a referendum on an ordinance once City Council has passed it.

See Callahan's Cleveland Diary. Also see City of Cleveland Charter Review Commission Close to Halfway Point, City Council News, April 18, 2008; Prendergast, Kevin Commission Continues to Review City Charter, Brooklyn Sun Journal, Apr. 24, 2008.

**This online copy of the Charter is as of 12/31/2007 - check the City Record for more recent updates)

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