Local News

Elkins adopts new city charter

ELKINS -- The city of Elkins has adopted a new city charter -- the first charter change for the city since 1901 -- and the changes will become effective April 1.

Mayor Van Broughton signed the ordinance creating the new city charter this week, after Elkins City Council voted 9-1 to approve the new charter on its second and final reading Nov. 19.

A city press statement released Friday said, "The most significant changes approved last week move the city's biannual municipal election from March to June of odd-numbered years; stipulate five standing council committees; and codify processes for budget planning, presentation, and administration. Charter language is also updated and simplified throughout the document."

Other charter changes include:

• The new charter stipulates five standing committees: Finance, Rules and Ordinances, Personnel, Municipal Properties and Public Safety. "Council/the mayor may create more committees as needed," the release states.

• The previous charter stated that the city clerk would serve as acting mayor in the mayor's absence or during a vacancy in the mayor's office.

Under the new charter, city council will select a council member to serve as acting mayor during an extended absence. In case of a vacancy in the mayor's office, council will appoint a new mayor to serve until the next election.

• The old charter contained no procedure for preparation and presentation to city council of the annual budget.

The new charter codifies a budget process, including an annual budget message and a five-year capital plan, with the budget supervised by the Finance Committee.

Also on Nov. 19, Elkins City Council voted to place on the March municipal ballot three proposals stricken from the charter changes -- including the creation of a city manager position.

Three controversial proposed changes -- the creation of a city manager position; increasing the mayor's term of office from two to four years; and allowing all city voters to vote for council representatives for each ward in the city -- were among the items taken out of the updated charter that council approved, because qualified objections to them had been raised by several residents, including three current council members.

After that vote, council voted 6-4 to place three of the stricken proposed charter changes on the March ballot to be voted on by the public. The changes include the move to a manager/mayor form of government, which includes the creation of a city manager position; defining the duties of the city manager; and increasing the mayor's term from two years to four.

No one made a motion to place on the March ballot the proposed charter change that would allow all city voters to vote for council representatives for each ward in the city. Therefore that proposed change is now considered abandoned.

The Friday city press release states, "Pending the outcome of the March 2021 election, for now Elkins retains a Mayor-Council plan of government and Elkins mayors continue to serve two-year terms. Regardless of whether voters approve the ballot item extending the mayor's term to four years, the winner of next March's mayoral contest will be elected to a two-year term."

The release also states, "The city's current charter was adopted in 1901, when Elkins absorbed the town of South Elkins. In its 2018-2023 Strategic Plan, the Elkins council set itself the goals of reviewing and updating the charter and evaluating the feasibility of adopting a manager-based form of government. Starting in 2019, council retained and met multiple times with an attorney specializing in municipal law and charter changes to learn about opportunities for further improving and strengthening the Elkins City Charter."