I applaud Mayor Meg Kelly and our four commissioners for making two important decisions.
First, after 17 years and three failed referendums to overturn our commission form of government, the mayor and commissioners have initiated an honest review to update the City Charter.
Second, the appointed committee is composed of knowledgeable people who work in City Hall and understand what should be changed to improve services for our residents. This is in contrast to the three failed attempts that were led by people with no city government experience.
The committee members represent the mayor’s office and all commissioners and include both elected officials and appointed managers, including the city attorney and all deputy commissioners.
I can’t resist commenting that when our mayor wanted the most knowledgeable people to improve our government, she appointed all five deputy commissioners, whom the chair of the previous charter change group disparaged as “political hacks.” Obviously Mayor Kelly, herself a former deputy, knows better.
Mayor Kelly has taken some unjust heat from those who lost the referendum to toss out our form of government. It would be more appropriate to praise her for being consistent with her campaign promise to work within the commission government should this be the voters’ decision.
Richard Sellers
Saratoga Springs
