Reprinted from Rockville Reports, August 2002
Rockville’s Mayor and Council has appointed a Charter Review Commission that has been given the authority to review aspects of the City’s election process. The commission, to be co-chaired by David Cahoon and David Hill, has been asked to present a thorough report by the end of this year.
In spring, the Mayor and Council identified five major goals they hoped to achieve during their current term and 22 action items to support those goals. One of those goals is “Rockville Community Identity and Pride.” A review of the City Charter and other laws related to the election is one of the action items the Mayor and Council promised to pursue.
The commission was appointed at the General Session of July 8. Also appointed to the commission were residents Sue Edwards, Shelly Hardwick, Fran Hawkins, Gerry Holtz, Jennifer Kaye, Phyllis Marcuccio, Jim Marrinan, Robert Pittman and Roald Schrack. Doris Ecelbarger, chair of the City’s Board of Elections, will serve as an ex-officio to the committee.
“There a lot of things we will do in the coming year that are important—things such as Town Center,” said Councilmember John Hall. “But this is our constitution. This is the fundamental governing document of our city.”
Among the items the commission will have the latitude to review are: methods for generating binding referenda; the possibility of weekend elections; the length of terms for the Mayor and Council (all five members now serve two-year terms and are elected in the same years); the possibility of staggered terms; the number of Councilmembers; representation by districts (all members are currently elected at-large); and voting privileges for resident aliens.
After receiving the commission’s report, the Mayor and Council will determine if they want to pursue all or some of the recommendations.
At a work session after their appointment, the commission members were reminded by Councilmember Susan Hoffmann that if their review suggested that no changes of any kind were necessary, the Mayor and Council could be accepting of that evaluation as well.
Councilmember Robert Dorsey stressed to the members that they have been entrusted with an important mission.
“I thank this group,” said Dorsey, “because you will help determine the future of Rockville.”
