Voters Likely to See Charter Amendments on November Ballot [Video]

Voters in Flint are likely to see five new amendments to the city charter when they go to the booths in November. The Blue Ribbon Committee on Governance submitted the amendments to the city clerk's office on Tuesday. The Blue Ribbon Committee had been formed earlier this year to analyze how the city is run. The Emergency Manager designated committee was made up of 22 volunteers from Flint.

According to ABC 12, the five potential changes that will likely be in front of voters include:

• Reduce the maximum number of mayoral principal staff appointees from 10 to 5.
• Require the annual budget presented to council to be accompanied by an explanation of the budget itself.
• Eliminate the need for specific executive departments.
• Eliminate the Flint Civil Service Commission.
• Eliminate the Flint Office of Ombudsmen.

A sixth issue could also be on the ballot: voters would decide if a city commission should be formed. If that is on the ballot and passed, Flint residents would nominate and elect representatives to craft a whole new city charter. Robert Wesley, who chaired the committee, said Flint has "not completed a new charter since 1974" and we "have a very different city now that did not exist 40 years ago."

ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI