Plain City council members are ready to serve on their committees for the upcoming year.
The group began Monday’s work session by unanimously electing John Rucker as council president.
Rucker stepped into the role last year after then-President Jody Carney became Mayor following the resignation of former Mayor Darrin Lane.
Rucker initially nominated Shannon Pine for this year’s presidency, but she declined due to conflicts with her work schedule.
“I just don’t know that I can handle the extra time that it would require… I was going to nominate John Rucker,” she said with a laugh.
Council voted in her favor.
Members also agreed on their committee appointments for the upcoming year. Each member will serve on two boards.
Lauren Giaimo will serve on the capital improvements committee and the council rules committee; Sherry Heineman on the parks and recreation committee and charter transition committee; Shannon Pine on the planning and zoning committee and charter transition; Frank Reed on the personnel and finance committee and council rules; John Rucker on Design Review Board and the fire district; and Michael Terry on the Board of Zoning Appeals and personnel and finance.
The group also discussed the role of the new charter transition committee.
Village residents will decide on the proposed charter in a special March election.
If the charter passes, it will lead to certain legislative and administrative changes. If it fails, council will still need to consider whether the village proceeds with or without city status.
Terry suggested at the Jan. 5 work session that council create a committee to prepare for any changes spurred by the election.
“I want to make sure we’re doing what we need to,” he said at the time. “We’re not responsible for getting it passed but we are responsible for being ready for changes whether it passes or fails.”
Village Solicitor Paul Lafayette said the purpose of the committee will be “mostly just working out the nuts and bolts of the ordinances” that would change due to the charter.
He recommended that the committee have no more than three council members, as any more would constitute a quorum and essentially turn the committee meeting into a council meeting.
Lafayette said council members interested in attending for informational purposes can do so, but they would have to “be careful” not to participate in any deliberations.
“It invites trouble if there’s a problem,” he said of having a majority of council at the meetings.
Carney said she would like to be a member of the charter transition committee, which would restrict the group to only two other council members.
Heineman and Pine will also join the committee, while Giaimo will act as an alternate.
On the other hand, Lafayette said there are no restrictions on the number of charter committee members that could participate because their term will have ended following the election.
Council members agreed that they would like former charter committee members, who together wrote the charter, to serve on the board if they are interested.
Carney recommended council seek two charter committee members to join so there will be a committee of five to prevent any split decisions.
Before the charter members join the committee, Pine suggested holding a meeting in February to begin preparations.
The group will decide on a date at the next council meeting. Carney said information regarding the meetings will be added to the village website for residents to access once available.
In other business:
– Council observed a moment of silence in memory of former Council member Jim Moore.
Carney said the village is planning to plant a memorial tree in his memory. She said staff hopes to do so around Arbor Day in April, but she will provide a concrete date as it approaches.
– Staff introduced the village’s new Management Analyst, Haley Lupton.