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Health & Fitness

Water Your Thoughts - Should Avon Lake's Charter Change?

Recent media pieces (The Press, Sun News) have talked about the proposed Avon Lake Charter changes (starting on p. 52) on which you will have the opportunity to vote November 5th. Per the Charter, a volunteer commission is formed every five years to review the Charter (the city’s Constitution) and determine if any changes need to be made. The nine-member commission is appointed by the mayor (five members) and the City Council (four members). This commission, through an exhaustive process spanning five months in 2013, identified two changes to be offered for voter consideration this November.

 

One change relates to how the City and Avon Lake Municipal Utilities (ALMU) handle bidding. The proposed change would allow the City and ALMU to join currently existing state buying programs, such as vehicle pricing agreements, and enter into agreements with other jurisdictions without having to officially bid the purchase. Currently, it is allowed in the State of Ohio, but there is a question as to whether this is allowed within Avon Lake. The change would also allow the City and Avon Lake Municipal Utilities to modify bidding procedures through ordinance or regulation. For example, under Ohio law, the estimated price for a project must be published. Avon Lake Municipal Utilities has long held that a sealed estimate provides better bid pricing and has requested the Charter amendment to allow bidding requirements to be published through ordinance or regulation. This proposed Charter change would allow flexibility and the ability to quickly and transparently respond to changing bidding needs.

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The second change relates to whether the composition of the Board of Municipal Utilities should be changed. Since the creation of the original, 1951 Charter, Avon Lake voters elect all five members of the Board. The Board, populated by private Avon Lake citizens, independently represents you and serves your interests to assure that the staff of ALMU best balances quality, quantity, cost, and service. During the last 40 years, the Board has overseen the tenfold growth of ALMU’s water delivery service. This, along with ALMU’s business philosophy, has helped save the average Avon Lake customer $475 per year for water and wastewater service compared to the rates paid in other similarly sized Ohio cities, keeping our rates among the lowest in the state.

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This second change proposes to add the mayor and a member of the City Council as non-voting members of the Board to foster additional communications between ALMU and the City. In January of this year, ALMU changed its meeting night in order to better allow customers and City officials to attend its meetings. While the mayor and a few Council members have attended a couple meetings since the change has been made, we know that the mayor and Council members  already spend a vast amount of their time to assure this City is the best it can be. Voters have elected the Board to serve their best interests in matters related to public utilities, and the Council and mayor to serve their best interests related to the prosperity of the City.

 

Historically, the relative independence of the two separately elected bodies has allowed each to focus on its areas of responsibility and has worked very well. Several other mechanisms are already in place for communication between the City and ALMU. Council and the mayor are always welcome at meetings. All Board meeting minutes (and the pre-meeting information pack) are available 24/7 at www.avonlakewater.org. Additionally, ALMU has recently begun taping a Board meeting recap show that airs on the ALC-TV government channel and is available on www.avonlake.pegcentral.com. Voters will need to decide whether it is in the City’s best interest for the mayor and a Council member to be required to attend ALMU Board meetings or whether their time is better spent on other issues. Obviously, however, if voters decide to add members, the ALMU Board will welcome the additional members. If the voters decide against the issue, the Board will continue to assure the City is appropriately involved in areas of mutual interest.

 

Avon Lake Municipal Utilities is your water and wastewater provider. Blogging on Patch is a wonderful opportunity to inform you, our customers. We welcome more interactive dialog—via telephone (440-933-6226), email (contact@avonlakewater.org), social media (Facebook/Twitter), or in person (201 Miller Road). You can also follow my personal Twitter account and/or the Twitter account we has established for the Belmar area sewer separation. We strive for healthy customers, healthy environment through sustainable water management.
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