By Nancy Peckenham
The newly-formed city of Newburgh charter review commission has agreed to focus on a review of the ward system of electing members of the city council and of the powers of the city manager as part of its look at the structure of city government.
Currently, members of the Newburgh city council are representing at-large, meaning that people from throughout the municipality can consider voting for all candidates. In a ward system, a candidate is elected only by the people residing within the boundaries of the ward where the candidate is running.
At their February 3rd meeting, members of the charter commission talked about their interest in reviewing the authority granted to the city manager to hire and fire employees at will, as well as in looking whether the number of city council members should be expanded.
Commission Plans to Review the Entire Charter
Commission members also agreed that while a review of the ward system and the city manager’s role is a top priority, they intend to go through the entire charter, even if it takes them more than a year to do so.
Any recommendations made by the commission must be submitted to the general public for a vote before they can be adopted. If the commission is not ready to submit recommendations for the general election in November 2011, it could continue to meet for another year.
The General Public Would Vote on Recommendations
In 2007, another commission proposed that the city go to a ward system but the proposal was vetoed by the city council. This time, Mayor Valentine appointed the commission members so the council no longer needs to approve its recommendations.
The 2011 commission is chaired by Charles Woodard, with members Isaac Diggs, Pauline Dillard, Brigidanne Flynn, Thomas J. Murphy, John F. Penney, Mary Ann Prokosch, Hhans Sandiford, Barbara Simon, Barbara J. Smith, and Susan Smith. Decora Sandiford is an alternate member.
The commission is being guided through the process by three leaders in municipal law and development: Jonathan Drapkin, director of Pattern for Progress, SUNY New Paltz Professor Gerald Benjamin, who served as chair the Ulster County Charter Commission, and Lester Steinman, Director of the Municipal Law Resource Center at Pace University.
Consolidation of City Services Also A Focus
In addition to the charter review the commission is also being asked to study possible consolidation of city services.
The Charter Review project is made possible by funds provided by the New York State Department of State under the Local Government Efficiency Grant program.
Loading...
