SHELBY — A proposed charter amendment is back on the table for Shelby lawmakers to consider sending to voters in November.
The proposed legislation, read for the first time during City Council’s meeting Monday, calls for an extension of the filing deadline for Shelby candidates from 75 days to 90 days.
In order to be placed before Shelby voters on the Nov. 4 general election ballot, council must approve three readings of the ordinance and pass the legislation.
An ordinance with arguably the same language as what is currently proposed was denied last July by City Council. A series of discussions among councilmembers last summer revealed mixed emotions on the matter.
According to Section 123 of the Shelby City Charter, amendments to the charter must receive a two-thirds vote of the council to be submitted to the city’s electors.
Councilmembers Steve McLaughlin, Charlie Roub and Eric Cutlip voted in favor of sending the proposed charter amendment to Shelby voters last July. Fourth Ward Councilman Nathan Martin and 2nd Ward Councilman Derrin Roberts cast the two dissenting votes.
(Below is a PDF showing the proposed charter amendment legislation discussed Monday night by Shelby lawmakers.)
Feelings remain largely unchanged
McLaughlin sponsored the denied proposal last July and is sponsoring the second attempt.
On Monday, he said a 90-day filing deadline would sync Shelby with all other government entities in Richland County. Ohio Revised Code was changed in 2014, McLaughlin said, requiring candidates for office to file their petition 90 days prior to an election rather than 75.
“Currently our citizens have only one day to challenge or contest someone’s petition, so this would give our citizens 15 days versus one day,” he said.
“I say we need to give this to the citizens to vote on Election Day and not just let the five of us decide,” McLaughlin said.
When the filing deadline extension was first proposed to Shelby City Council last May by Richland County Board of Elections Director Matt Finfgeld, Martin didn’t believe change was necessary.
On Monday, he said the board of elections continued to accept petitions from Shelby candidates within the 75-day deadline this year.
“I guess I’ve fundamentally failed to see what has changed in the previous year that would require a different result,” Martin said. “What has changed in the last 360 days that should change our mind?”
Vote on first reading postponed
Cutlip said he is in favor of the extension if it helps the Board of Elections with its preparations. Roberts, who was one of two dissenting votes last summer, said he still would like answers to questions presented in 2024 to Finfgeld and Jane Zimmermann, Board of Elections deputy director.
He asked last year how difficult it was for the Board of Elections with Shelby being on a different filing deadline. Roberts and council also asked if the city was operating out of line with the ORC.
“I don’t care one way or the other,” he said. “Last year, maybe I did more than I do now. It’s trivial to me at this point.
“But that did leave a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth, when I asked questions that did not get answered.”
With Roub absent from Monday’s meeting, Martin motioned to suspend a vote on the first reading of the proposed legislation, which was approved by council.
In other action Monday, City Council:
— authorized the mayor as director of public service to acquire rights of easement for extension of a waterline from 2020 Lee, LLC.
— declared the intent to vacate a portion of Spruce Street.
— approved the plans and specifications and authorized the mayor as director of public service to advertise for bids and enter into a contract for the 2025 Curtis Drive sanitary sewer extension project.