Charter Review Commission

The Charter Review Commission has submitted its final report to City Council, which was accepted. They are no longer meeting regularly. Please visit this page to learn more about the next step in the Charter Review process.


MEETINGS

  • 12:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month
  • City Administration Building
    Second Floor
    107 E. Main Street
    Xenia, OH 45385

HISTORY

The Charter of the City of Xenia was originally adopted by the electors at a special election held on August 30, 1917. The Charter was re-adopted in its entirety by the voters at a general election held on November 3, 1998. There has only been one addition to the City Charter since that time, which was to add Article XVI: Safety Services enacted on November 2, 2010. The Xenia City Charter has not been reviewed in its entirety since 1998. Therefore, Xenia City Council placed a Charter Amendment on the November 6, 2018, ballot to create Section 8.05 to create a Charter Review Commission. The entire text of Section 8.05 is listed below. Establishment of this Commission, by Charter, will assure that the City’s Charter is being reviewed in a timely manner and that any necessary changes are presented to voters of the City of Xenia after a thorough review.

MEMBERSHIP

The Commission will consist of an odd number of members, from five (5) to eleven (11) members, to be appointed every five (5) years for the purpose of reviewing the Xenia City Charter. Up to nine (9) members will be appointed by City Council with two (2) members being current members of Council. Those appointed by Council shall be registered voters of the City of Xenia, at the time of appointment and while serving, will serve without compensation, and can hold no other office or employment in the government of the City of Xenia. The City Manager and Finance Director may serve as advisors to the Commission and the Law Director shall serve as legal counsel to the Commission. Those appointed should expect to serve for a one-year period and meet one to two times per month. If any amendments are recommended by the Commission and approved by City Council, it is likely that those changes would appear on a ballot in 2021.

At the June 13, 2019, City Council meeting, Resolution 2019-N was approved, and per Section 1, members were appointed to the Charter Review Commission. On February 27, 2020, City Council amended Resolution 2019-N with the passage of Resolution 2020-B. The current membership is as follows:

  • Jeanne O’Callaghan, Chair
  • Chelsey Garrett, Vice Chair
  • Howard Horstman
  • Sarah Mays, Mayor
  • Thomas Scrivens, Councilman
  • Nancy McPeak (Alternate)
  • Jim Percival (Alternate)

At the Commission’s first meeting on July 16, 2019, the members established a regular meeting schedule on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 12:30 p.m. At the September 15, 2020, meeting, the Commission changed the meeting schedule to only the third Tuesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. At the January 19, 2021, meeting, the Commission changed the meeting schedule back to meeting twice per month on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 12:30 p.m. beginning February 2, 2021. The Commission shall recommend to City Council such amendments, revisions, alterations or additions, if any, to the Xenia City Charter as in its judgment are advisable by report no later than April 30, 2021 (this date was extended with passage of Resolution 2020-N on June 11, 2020). 

CHARTER SECTION 8.05: Charter Review Commission  

A. Creation. 

In addition to those Boards and Commissions listed in Section 8.01, the Council shall appoint, at least every five (5) years, by an affirmative vote of at least four (4) Council members, a Charter Review Commission. Notwithstanding any other section of this Article VIII, the Charter Review Commission’s composition, powers, and duties shall be as set forth in this section.

B. Membership; Term. 

(1) The Commission shall consist of an odd number of members, from a minimum of five (5) members to a maximum of eleven (11) members, who shall be electors of the City at the time of their appointment and during their respective terms of office, and no more than two (2) of said members shall hold other elective office or employment with the City. The Law Director shall serve as legal counsel to the Commission, and the City Manager and the Finance Director, or their designees, may serve as advisors to the Commission.

(2) In the event a member resigns or is unable to serve, the seat of that member shall be deemed vacant and City Council shall appoint a new member to fill the absent member’s term.

(3) The terms of the members of the Charter Review Commission shall terminate at the time designated by City Council for the filing of the Commission’s report, with recommendations, to the Council, unless such time is extended by Council, by resolution.

C. Meetings; Powers.

(1) The Commission shall conduct its meetings in accordance with the Ohio Open Meeting Law, and the rules of order for the Commission shall be the same as the Rules of Council. 

(2) The Commission shall elect its own Chair and Vice Chair, and the Chair shall establish the agenda for all meetings of the Commission. 

(3) A majority vote of the Commission members present shall be required to approve or disapprove any motion before the Commission.

D. Duties; Report to Council. 

The Charter Review Commission shall review the City Charter and within the time designated by Council at the time the Commission members are appointed, and shall recommend to Council such amendments, additions, or revisions, if any, to this Charter that the Commission deems necessary or desirable. After the consideration of the recommendations of the Commission, the City Council may submit all or any of such proposed amendments, additions, or revisions to this Charter to the electorate in the manner prescribed by the Constitution of the State of Ohio.