NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio — The city’s Charter Review Commission is considering a charter amendment that would prohibit any City Council member from working for another city’s government.
The idea is to prevent a conflict of interest or divided loyalty between North Royalton and the city for which the council member is working.
The proposed amendment seems to target council President Paul Marnecheck, whose full-time job is commissioner of economic development for the City of Brook Park.
His responsibilities there include drawing in businesses to increase Brook Park’s tax base.
Marnecheck, who has held the Brook Park position since February 2022, told cleveland.com last week that it’s not a conflict of interest for him to hold that job while also serving in a council position in North Royalton.
“Throughout my 15 years on North Royalton City Council, I have always held a full-time job,” Marnecheck told cleveland.com in an email.
“There have been occasions when I needed to abstain (on a vote), such as when I worked for the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) and the City of North Royalton was considering healthcare options offered by COSE for city employees,” Marnecheck said.
“I am very comfortable seeking guidance from our (North Royalton’s) Law Department and abstaining from voting on matters when necessary,” Marnecheck said.
When asked which city — North Royalton or Brook Park — he would favor if a company were looking at moving into Greater Cleveland, Marnecheck said, “I would consult with the North Royalton Law Department and act accordingly.”
Marnecheck said he would do the same if a company, either in North Royalton or Brook Park, were considering moving from one of those two cities to the other.
In either case, North Royalton would not be at a disadvantage, Marnecheck said.
“North Royalton has a brilliant, world-class economic development director in Tom Jordan,” Marnecheck said.
“Our region also benefits from the expertise of talented individuals at many organizations, including Cuyahoga County, the Greater Cleveland Partnership, Team NEO and JobsOhio.”
The charter review commission, which began meeting in October, is scheduled to continue its discussion on the proposed charter amendment at its next meeting Dec. 5.
No names
Charter commission members, when talking about the proposed charter amendment on Nov. 7, didn’t mention Marnecheck by name.
At that meeting, Todd Schrader, North Royalton’s assistant law director, noted that the charter now prohibits council members from holding any other elected public office or a job with the City of North Royalton.
Also, council members cannot benefit by any contract the city signs with another entity, Schraeder said.
Schraeder said case law and rulings by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Ohio Ethics Commission also guide municipalities when it comes to conflicts of interest.
Schraeder cautioned against including every possible conflict of interest the commission can envision in the charter, because if the commission fails to address a particular conflict, that can create problems if that conflict occurs.
However, Commission Chairman Joel Spatz — purchasing manager for Metals Inc., a Bedford steel company — questioned why the charter would prevent a council member from working for the City of North Royalton but not another city.
Spatz said the charter should be broadened to keep a council member from working as an appointed official in another city, especially since North Royalton council members are privy to secret information discussed in executive sessions.
Commission member Mike Michalski, who owns a North Royalton business consulting firm called MCS Strategies, said the phrase “any municipality” should be added to the charter when stating where a council member cannot work while serving on council.
Commission member Catherine Miller, a Devonshire Drive resident, warned that such a prohibition might keep talented people from becoming council members and bringing their expertise to North Royalton.
For example, a police dispatcher, even working part-time, would not be allowed to serve on North Royalton council if the charter amendment is approved, Miller said.
‘Politics at play?’
Marnecheck said that last year, some council members proposed a similar charter amendment that would have forced him out of his council position.
He said residents filled council chambers to support him and oppose the amendment.
“While I hope that there are not politics at play here, it feels like there are hidden motives,” Marnecheck said of the charter review commission.
“Hopefully they (get) this out of their system and move on.”
Marnecheck said that since joining council, he has worked with people with a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences. He said they have made him and the city better.
“I hope we do not go down a path (where) we are not allowing people to run for office,” Marnecheck said. “We should be making it easier for people to participate and get involved, not harder.”
Law Director Tom Kelly said all proposed charter amendments are subject to approval or rejection by voters.
Also, under a charter amendment voters approved in November 2020, council can keep commission-recommended charter amendments off the ballot.
Previously, council was required to place all proposed charter amendments the commission recommended on the ballot.
RECOMMENDED•cleveland.com
Kelly said that if the charter is amended to prohibit council members from working for other communities, it would remain to be seen when such an amendment would take effect, or whether Marnecheck would be grandfathered in and allowed to keep his council seat.
Kelly said the charter amendment itself might contain language addressing the timing and conditions of the prohibition.
Read more from the Sun Star Courier.
Related News :