By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
TAYLOR – Whether the city should consider revisions to its almost 50-year-old charter and seat a nine-member Charter Commission will be up to local voters during the August primary election.
The lone local issue on the Aug. 2 ballot will ask: “Shall there be a general revision of the Charter of the City of Taylor and the election of a Charter Commission of nine electors of the city?”
Proponents of a commission to review the city’s municipal guidelines, including an effort by “Change the Charter Change Taylor,” launched a petition drive earlier this year, concerned that the nearly five-decades-old charter is in need of updating, revisions or even overhauls of areas affected by changes in state and federal law.
Critics of the measure include elected officials and Mayor Rick Sollars, who said during his 2014 campaign that a review of the charter might be in order. Sollars, however, noted that the charter has been updated a few times with amendments and revisions, and that the proposed commission and overhaul could be costly to residents.
Along with a “yes” or “no” question regarding establishment of a commission, voters will be asked to select up to eight names among candidates for the nine seats: Robert Chmielwski, Tina Daniels, Dan Dobbins, Wm. Craig Faulk, William Fisher, Neil Thomas Goeckerman, Justin Mordarski and Doug Reimel.
Should the commission be approved, the panel would convene to propose changes to the charter that would require council approval and voter support.
(James Mitchell can be reached at [email protected])