Parma Heights residents approve half of Election Day charter amendments

PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio - Going two for four is how Parma Heights Mayor Marie Gallo views residents approving half of the city's Election Day charter amendments.

"I'm not sure why two failed and two didn't," she said. "It might've been because prior to this year, the charter amendments were put on during municipal elections.

"With the change to the five-year charter review, they were on the ballot during a presidential election. That might've had something to do with it as far as voter turnout goes. There's a lot of that could've played into why they failed, I'm really not sure."

The passed charter amendments include Issue 34, which was related to City Council members calling special meetings.

Vote totals were 3,775 (55.76%) in favor versus 2,995 (44.24%) against, according to final, unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

Residents also approved Issue 35, which allows City Council to amend the number of votes necessary to waive the 48-hour notice period of new legislation from seven to five.

The idea was to make it easier to consider new emergency legislation in unusual circumstances, as well as allows for legislation to be read by title only - unless there is a vote to read it in its entirety.

Vote totals regarding Issue 35 were 4,544 (66.98%) in favor versus 2,240 (33.02%) against, according to final, unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

"The two charter amendments that passed give Council more flexibility as far as coming together for special meetings and making the process more efficient if there is legislation that we have to get passed sooner than later," she said.

"That helps with City Council as far as efficiency, which was the point of those amendments in the first place - to get things done in a more timely manner when emergency situations arise."

Then there are the two charter amendments defeated by residents.

Issue 36 related to home rule, amending the charter to explicitly permit the civil service commission to prescribe and enforce rules and regulations that are contrary to state civil service law.

Vote totals regarding Issue 36 were 3,675 (53.24%) against versus 3,228 (46.76%) in favor, according to final, unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

The voters also defeated Issue 37, which was related to the threshold for public bidding.

It would have increased City Council's authorization from the current $50,000 threshold to $75,000.

Vote totals regarding Issue 37 were 3,454 (50.07%) against versus 3,444 (49.93%) in favor, according to final, unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

"As I said from the beginning, nothing we put on the ballot was controversial," she said. "Those two amendments, the civil service one was just seen as a point of clarification and the $75,000 threshold was also put on the ballot for more efficiency.

"They both barely failed, but in the end, I don't anticipate any significant changes in the daily operations of our city based on the outcome."