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Why we need an elected mayor
Our current system isn’t working.
Council is not capable of leading our city.
We need accountable leadership.
- Many of our neighborhoods are still struggling from the foreclosure crisis. Though it happened over a decade ago, there is still no leadership or vision to bring our neighborhoods back.
- Many calls to City Hall go unanswered and our last city manager hid problems that sent our water and sewer rates skyrocketing.
- Areas like Severance are becoming wastelands and there is no plan to revitalize our community.
Council is not capable of leading our city.
- The buck has to stop somewhere, but that’s impossible when big decisions are left up to seven part-time council members.
- When 4,000 Cleveland Heights residents made it clear they wanted a say, council tried to confuse voters with a competing ballot measure.
- Instead of supporting our right to elect a mayor, some council members formed an opposition group that continues to mislead and confuse our citizens.
We need accountable leadership.
- We are falling behind and there is no vison or plan to move Cleveland Heights forward.
- The little development that does happen falls short of what’s needed.
- Two‐thirds of all Ohio cities and nearly all Cuyahoga County municipalities have an elected mayor who is accountable to the voters.
- Our city needs a leader who can collaborate and move us forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don’t we already elect our mayor in Cleveland Heights?
No. Our seven city council members elect the mayor and vice mayor from current members of council and appoint a city manager. Voters have no say in the executive leadership of their city. Voting YES on Issue 26 will put the voters back in charge by directly electing the mayor.
Why change our current form of government?
We need leadership that is directly accountable to voters. Right now, we have one part-time branch of government with no checks and balances, which cedes decision-making to a city manager who is not directly accountable to the voters. For instance, city council does not hire or fire other city employees and does not determine items such as which grants to seek. Instead, city council enacts legislation, approves the budget prepared by the city manager, suggests policy goals, and hires, reviews and fires the city manager. The major decisions made by our local government are made by a city manager that is not directly accountable to you, the voters of Cleveland Heights.
Will we lose professionalism if we switch?
No. Voting YES for Issue 26 creates, in addition to an elected mayor, the position of full-time city administrator, just like Shaker Heights has. Like the current city manager, this individual will carry out day to day operations of the city and have all of the necessary professional qualifications for such a position. Unlike the city manager, though, the city administrator will be appointed by the elected mayor with council approval - meaning the city administrator will have one boss, not seven. Voting YES preserves professionalism while putting the elected leader accountable to the voters.
How do I make sure I have a say in who leads my city?
Vote YES on Issue 26 for an elected mayor. YES on the charter amendment makes it possible for us to elect a qualified mayor who can bring needed leadership and vision to our community. Council has no place picking our leaders. It’s our community. It needs to be our choice. YES on Issue 26 reforms our city’s government so that it’s similar to governments in more than two-thirds of the cities across Ohio and nearly all municipalities in Cuyahoga County. We choose our mayor - instead of the mayor being selected by council as “President of Council” with no greater vote than the other 6 council members. An elected mayor will be an executive mayor with the responsibilities of the administration of the city and fully accountable to us, responsible for addressing our concerns directly. A qualified professional city administrator will be appointed by the mayor, with the approval of city council, to ensure our city services are well managed.
Seems like this is a big change. Will it disrupt how our city works?
Not at all. A mayor and city administrator working with council is the best of both worlds and a very familiar form of governance in our region and state. YES on Issue 26 gives us the power to elect our mayor, rather than rely on part-time council members to elect a ceremonial mayor who has no executive authority and to hire a city manager with authority to run our city. It will be up to the new mayor, city administrator and the council -- along with involved citizens -- to ensure the city functions effectively and efficiently without disruption.
What happens in city government after the amendment passes and before the mayor takes office?
The daily functions of our city government can continue unaffected between the amendment’s approval this November and when the mayor is elected (November 2021) and takes office (January 2022). The amendment does not change the work of city council, the city manager or the assistant city manager until a mayor is on the job, and does not impact the hard-working employees who serve the city. Should the current city manager resign before the position is eliminated at the end of 2021, it is council’s duty to ensure the city continues to run effectively and efficiently - as it would be if the city manager left office for any reason other than a charter change. For example, when the city’s prior city manager, Robert Downey, resigned, council appointed an interim city manager who maintained the daily functions of our city with no disruption for 16 months until a city manager was hired.
Will an elected, full-time mayor, cost the city more money?
No. The current budget approved by the council includes salaries for a city manager and an assistant city manager. These salaries would simply shift to the positions of mayor and city administrator upon elimination of the city manager and assistant city manager positions. Currently, the council-approved salaries for city manager and assistant city manager are comparable to salaries of mayors and city administrators in like cities in Cuyahoga County. The amendment does not create additional positions.
Who would be safety director under the elected mayor system?
The elected mayor would serve as safety director. The elected mayor may also appoint a director of the Department of Public Safety. Currently, the city manager is permitted to serve as the director of each and every department of the city government including the director of the Department of Public Safety. This is not an extra cost, but part of the responsibilities of the elected mayor as it is in Shaker Heights, University Heights, Lakewood, and many other cities across our region and state.
What about claims that this will bring political deals, corruption and cronyism to our city’s government?
Some local politicians will say anything to protect their power. They were elected to serve us, not mislead us with fear-mongering slogans and political deals with a Washington DC trade association dumping tens of thousands of dollars into their negative and misleading campaign. This claim is not only unfounded, but insulting to the voters of Cleveland Heights. Shaker Heights, Lakewood and South Euclid all elected mayors who are not corrupt and are moving their cities forward; why do some think Cleveland Heights can’t do the same (or better!)? Corruption can happen in any form of government. The mayor-council system brings checks and balances so we can hold leadership accountable. It brings new hope for a better direction for our city. The amendment also requires elections be non-partisan. Our opponent’s political stunts are just another example of why we need an elected mayor now. Voting YES on Issue 26 ensures that we choose our leaders, not outside money or those seeking to keep power.
What is the current Cleveland Heights government structure?
Cleveland Heights voters elect seven, part-time city council members. City council then chooses one of its own members as "mayor." This person presides over council meetings and functions as president of city council, but has no executive authority. The title is confusing, giving many citizens the impression that they voted for a mayor.
Who's in charge at City Hall?
No single individual is in charge. Cleveland Heights City Council, the legislative body of city government, appoints the city manager and approves ordinances. The Cleveland Heights city manager is the city's chief administrative officer, in charge of administration of city affairs and enforcement of laws and ordinances, but reports equally to all seven council members.
Why change our current form of government?
The appointed city manager is not accountable to the voters. Also, because the city manager is both appointed by and answerable to city council, there is no distinction between the executive and the legislative branches of Cleveland Heights city government. In addition, there is no single person with the authority to lead the city and to meet the increasingly complex challenges it faces.
No. Our seven city council members elect the mayor and vice mayor from current members of council and appoint a city manager. Voters have no say in the executive leadership of their city. Voting YES on Issue 26 will put the voters back in charge by directly electing the mayor.
Why change our current form of government?
We need leadership that is directly accountable to voters. Right now, we have one part-time branch of government with no checks and balances, which cedes decision-making to a city manager who is not directly accountable to the voters. For instance, city council does not hire or fire other city employees and does not determine items such as which grants to seek. Instead, city council enacts legislation, approves the budget prepared by the city manager, suggests policy goals, and hires, reviews and fires the city manager. The major decisions made by our local government are made by a city manager that is not directly accountable to you, the voters of Cleveland Heights.
Will we lose professionalism if we switch?
No. Voting YES for Issue 26 creates, in addition to an elected mayor, the position of full-time city administrator, just like Shaker Heights has. Like the current city manager, this individual will carry out day to day operations of the city and have all of the necessary professional qualifications for such a position. Unlike the city manager, though, the city administrator will be appointed by the elected mayor with council approval - meaning the city administrator will have one boss, not seven. Voting YES preserves professionalism while putting the elected leader accountable to the voters.
How do I make sure I have a say in who leads my city?
Vote YES on Issue 26 for an elected mayor. YES on the charter amendment makes it possible for us to elect a qualified mayor who can bring needed leadership and vision to our community. Council has no place picking our leaders. It’s our community. It needs to be our choice. YES on Issue 26 reforms our city’s government so that it’s similar to governments in more than two-thirds of the cities across Ohio and nearly all municipalities in Cuyahoga County. We choose our mayor - instead of the mayor being selected by council as “President of Council” with no greater vote than the other 6 council members. An elected mayor will be an executive mayor with the responsibilities of the administration of the city and fully accountable to us, responsible for addressing our concerns directly. A qualified professional city administrator will be appointed by the mayor, with the approval of city council, to ensure our city services are well managed.
Seems like this is a big change. Will it disrupt how our city works?
Not at all. A mayor and city administrator working with council is the best of both worlds and a very familiar form of governance in our region and state. YES on Issue 26 gives us the power to elect our mayor, rather than rely on part-time council members to elect a ceremonial mayor who has no executive authority and to hire a city manager with authority to run our city. It will be up to the new mayor, city administrator and the council -- along with involved citizens -- to ensure the city functions effectively and efficiently without disruption.
What happens in city government after the amendment passes and before the mayor takes office?
The daily functions of our city government can continue unaffected between the amendment’s approval this November and when the mayor is elected (November 2021) and takes office (January 2022). The amendment does not change the work of city council, the city manager or the assistant city manager until a mayor is on the job, and does not impact the hard-working employees who serve the city. Should the current city manager resign before the position is eliminated at the end of 2021, it is council’s duty to ensure the city continues to run effectively and efficiently - as it would be if the city manager left office for any reason other than a charter change. For example, when the city’s prior city manager, Robert Downey, resigned, council appointed an interim city manager who maintained the daily functions of our city with no disruption for 16 months until a city manager was hired.
Will an elected, full-time mayor, cost the city more money?
No. The current budget approved by the council includes salaries for a city manager and an assistant city manager. These salaries would simply shift to the positions of mayor and city administrator upon elimination of the city manager and assistant city manager positions. Currently, the council-approved salaries for city manager and assistant city manager are comparable to salaries of mayors and city administrators in like cities in Cuyahoga County. The amendment does not create additional positions.
Who would be safety director under the elected mayor system?
The elected mayor would serve as safety director. The elected mayor may also appoint a director of the Department of Public Safety. Currently, the city manager is permitted to serve as the director of each and every department of the city government including the director of the Department of Public Safety. This is not an extra cost, but part of the responsibilities of the elected mayor as it is in Shaker Heights, University Heights, Lakewood, and many other cities across our region and state.
What about claims that this will bring political deals, corruption and cronyism to our city’s government?
Some local politicians will say anything to protect their power. They were elected to serve us, not mislead us with fear-mongering slogans and political deals with a Washington DC trade association dumping tens of thousands of dollars into their negative and misleading campaign. This claim is not only unfounded, but insulting to the voters of Cleveland Heights. Shaker Heights, Lakewood and South Euclid all elected mayors who are not corrupt and are moving their cities forward; why do some think Cleveland Heights can’t do the same (or better!)? Corruption can happen in any form of government. The mayor-council system brings checks and balances so we can hold leadership accountable. It brings new hope for a better direction for our city. The amendment also requires elections be non-partisan. Our opponent’s political stunts are just another example of why we need an elected mayor now. Voting YES on Issue 26 ensures that we choose our leaders, not outside money or those seeking to keep power.
What is the current Cleveland Heights government structure?
Cleveland Heights voters elect seven, part-time city council members. City council then chooses one of its own members as "mayor." This person presides over council meetings and functions as president of city council, but has no executive authority. The title is confusing, giving many citizens the impression that they voted for a mayor.
Who's in charge at City Hall?
No single individual is in charge. Cleveland Heights City Council, the legislative body of city government, appoints the city manager and approves ordinances. The Cleveland Heights city manager is the city's chief administrative officer, in charge of administration of city affairs and enforcement of laws and ordinances, but reports equally to all seven council members.
Why change our current form of government?
The appointed city manager is not accountable to the voters. Also, because the city manager is both appointed by and answerable to city council, there is no distinction between the executive and the legislative branches of Cleveland Heights city government. In addition, there is no single person with the authority to lead the city and to meet the increasingly complex challenges it faces.
Issue 26 is the only local initiative on the ballot
- City Council on July 29, 2019, voted unanimously to indefinitely table its Fully Amended Charter resolution, leaving the citizens' charter amendment for an elected mayor the sole Cleveland Heights charter issue on the ballot.
- A CEM letter to ICMA, a Washington, DC-based city managers' advocacy group, asked that it withdraw a $25,000 matching gift pledge to the PAC trying to defeat the elected-mayor amendment. CEM questioned whether the pledge and circumstances surrounding it undermined confidence in the ICMA and the current manager-council structure.
The ICMA's response did not directly address the issues raised and repeated its commitment to support those working to maintain our current form of government.
Some things to think about
The following opinion pieces were submitted to the Heights Observer, and may be published in September. Written by CEM members, they offer support for an elected mayor amendment and clarify some issues.
- Empowerment and opportunity: An elected mayor can act as a singular voice to make the citizens' vision for our city happen.
- Corruption, cronyism, and conflict ... Oh My!: Professionalism does not guarantee the absence of corruption or cronyism or conflicts or even politics.
- Separating fact from fiction: Incorrect assumptions and false accusations have entered the discourse on the citizens' initiative. Let’s clear up misinformation.
- Why here, Why now?: We lack effective and decisive political leadership to address serious challenges that threaten our assets and collective future.
Current Structure
Comparable inner-ring cities with a full-time elected mayor
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Lakewood Ohio
http://www.onelakewood.com/mayors-office/ City of South Euclid https://www.cityofsoutheuclid.com/mayor-welos-office/ Shaker Heights https://www.shakeronline.com/416/Mayors-Office University Heights https://www.universityheights.com/mayor/ |
Strong mayors and urban democracies
Can a strong, elected mayor empower a city? Make it more transparent? More democratic?
Yes, says a Yale Law Journal article.
Yes, says a Yale Law Journal article.
