Highland Heights Charter Review Committee Set to Discuss Changes

Highland Heights Charter Review Committee members spent three meetings going over the city charter line by line. Now they're prepared to talk about what changes they are going to recommend.

"Now it's incumbent on us where now we're going to work," Chairman Dan Dombeck said after Tuesday's meeting. The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 13.

So far, the nine members appear to favor a few changes, most notably recommending that council terms be increased from two years to four years. The terms would be staggered, with the three at-large positions and the four ward seats elected two years apart. That charter amendment has been tried before and lost, but committee members said they would like to try again.

There also appears to be support for changing wording to make it clear that the finance director appointment is subject to council approval, as is the case with other department heads.

But Dombeck said that everything is open for discussion and committee members may bring up amendments that were not mentioned yet. The committee also plans to interview city department heads for their input.

The committee has until 90 days before the general election to submit its recommendations to city council, which by charter shall place them on the ballot for consideration by voters.

Other members of the Charter Review Commmittee, appointed by Mayor Scott Coleman, are Ray Caporale, John Nawarskas, Sherri Tighe, Linda Citraro, Ron Fornaro, Carol Ganser, Pam Hawkins and Janet Dannemiller.