The village of Plain City is exploring the option of creating a city charter.
Officials acknowledge the municipality is currently a village, but expect that results of the 2020 census will move Plain City to be titled a city.
Officials have said they want to be ready when that time comes.
“We are exploring options, including becoming a charter city,” said Council President Pro-Tem Kerri Fergusson.
Plain City currently operates under a statutory form of government, meaning that village government is structured under state regulations, outlined in the Ohio Revised Code. A statutory government serves as the state’s default form of government.
Without a charter, if Plain City becomes a city, the Ohio Revised Code will require the creation of several city committees and official positions. Village Administrator Nathan Cahall said the duties those positions would hold are already being fulfilled by village staff. He said the statutory requirements would cost Plain City a lot of needless time and money.
However, cities are given certain powers to create and adapt government structure in a way that best fits their residents. The mechanism for a city to determine the government structure is a city charter.
A city charter serves it similar to a constitution. The charter outlines the form, structure, duties and powers of a local government. The charter establishes positions and committees within the city and creates checks and balances for the government.
A first step in that process is a public vote. If village council approves putting the issue on the ballot, voters will decide first, if they want to form a commission to frame a charter and second, who is included on the charter commission.
Voters would be encouraged to select commission members whether or not they vote for a charter, in case the charter question passes.
A charter commission is the group of city residents elected to frame the charter. Officials at Plain City and the Union County Board of Elections have said the need to research the process for putting names on the ballot and electing members to the commission. Council members Kerri Fergusson and Darrin Lee have been assigned to participate, though there is question whether village officials or employees are permitted to sit on the committee. Multiple phone calls and messages to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office and staff went unanswered and unreturned.
If a commission is formed, it will meet and determine specifics of the city’s charter. The commission will have a year to work and the charter will then be placed on the November 2020 ballot. The commissioners are considered elected officials and the meetings will be open to the public.
If the charter is rejected in 2020, the commission can begin the process again.
During a recent work session, council decided it needs to create “talking points” so the public only gets one message. The members decided to use a variety of mediums, including an open house and a message on residents’ water bills to get that message to voters.
Regardless of how the names for the ballot are selected and who gets elected, Fergusson hopes many residents will get involved.
“People should want to be involved with what their local government will look like moving forward into the future,” Fergusson said. “This will impact every single resident of the village.”
Selection of charter committee members is second on council’s list of 2019 goal.
The group’s top priority is the creation of impact fees and a thoroughfare plan. A thoroughfare plan identifies the roads in the community details the plan to maintain and improve them.
Impact fees are a fee imposed on new development to help pay for the impact the development could have on the community.
Cahall has cautioned council that impact fees are a one-time payment and should not be used to pay for services. Council directed Cahall to look into the creation of impact fees and to review engineers for the Thoroughfare plan.
Other items on the 2019 list of council goals include making GIS/Map revisions on the website, finalization of the 208 Plan and water/sewer negotiations with the City of Columbus, construction of bathrooms and other improvements at Pastime Park, completion of Maple and Gay street projects, update the village zoning plan, begin working on the park master plan, a zoning code update, a compensation plan and an income tax analysis, implementation of the comprehensive plan, construction of the municipal building.