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16 candidates file for charter commission

SALEM

A slate of 16 candidates filed petitions to battle for 15 spots on the proposed Salem city charter commission this fall.

The fate of their service, though, rests with voters — do they want a charter commission formed or don’t they? If not, it won’t matter who voters select for the 15 spots, which was the case last fall when voters narrowly defeated the charter commission question after reducing a list of 22 candidates down to 15.

Some of those candidates have returned for a second chance, while others have offered their services for the first time. The deadline for them to file petitions ended at 4 p.m. Wednesday and whether they make the ballot depends on certification by the Columbiana County Board of Elections at a later date.

The list of proposed candidates includes: Gregory Arcuri, John “Jock” Buta, Meta Cramer, Kyle Cranmer, Thomas Eddinger, Mark Flake, Dr. Karl Getzinger, Virginia Maria Grilli, Richard Lutsch, DeEllen McFarland, Audrey Null, George Spack Jr., Eloise Traina, Dennis Weaver, Frank Zamarelli and Ronald Zellers.

Last year, Buta, Cramer, Lutsch, Null, Traina and Zellers were selected for the commission, but didn’t get to serve since voters said no to the formation of a commission. Arcuri, Grilli and Weaver ran for the position, but didn’t make the top 15.

Once again, voters will be asked whether a charter commission should be formed to look at different forms of government under a charter and and possibly frame a charter for governing the city. If they say yes, the 15 commission members they elect will have a year to prepare a charter to place before voters next year.

The city of Salem currently follows the statutory form of government dictated by state law, with a mayor, seven council members, a council president, an auditor, a treasurer and a law director all elected. Under a charter, city residents could choose to have a form of government that elects council members who then hire a city manager to oversee city operations and hire everyone else. They could choose to keep things the same, too. They could have a city council, city manager and a mayor, with the mayor acting as council president and handling ceremonial functions while the manager handles the day-to-day work.

City council agreed earlier this year to place the issue back on the ballot since the vote was close last time. The effort is being promoted by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, with former councilman Dave Nestic and Buta heading up the effort.

All have stressed that voters aren’t deciding on a charter — they’re just deciding whether a charter commission should be created to look at writing a charter.

The final say on how the Salem city government operates will rest with the voters, possibly next year, but only if the voters this year choose to form the commission.

mgreier@salemnews.net

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