'More Than Enough' Signatures Collected to Put Council's Salary on Ballot

More than enough signatures have been collected to put the issue of determining Stow City Council's pay on the November ballot.

After City Council passed legislation , more than 780 John Hancocks have been collected since February, said .

Last week, council approved eliminating an unconstitutional portion of its charter that was not in line with the Ohio Constitution. Law Director Brian Reali and an both said Ohio's Constitution, which requires signatures from 10 percent of voters from the last municipal election to place an issue on the ballot. In this instance, it means 780 signatures are needed. 

Previously, Stow's charter stated 20 percent of registered voters in the last gubernatorial election were necessary to place something on the ballot — which would have meant 2,584 signatures.

"We have reached our requirement of 780 signatures and now we are going back out to get a few extra just in case some of our signatures are not allowed," said Adaska. "We should be ready to approach the committee of the whole in [a week] or so."

The would allow residents to vote to reduce council's pay to $700 a month or $8,400 annually. 

Council voted in April to . Next year, councilors are slated to make $14,950 and the president of council will make an additional $1,000.

If voters approve a lower pay, it would reduce council's salary by $6,550 next year.

"It had been said that with a lower salary, their would be a shortage of good candidates," said Adaska. "[That] doesn't seem to be the case at all."

There are . There will be primaries for some of .

The petition will be given to council for its submission to the Summit County Board of Elections. There the signatures will need to be certified before it can be placed on the ballot.

The question of when the salary change would take effect if passed is still up in the air.

"According to our adviser it should take effect on Jan. 1, 2012," said Adaska.

Law Director Brian Reali said, "I don’t believe it will take effect until 2014. The circulators missed the current, legally effective, cut-off to change pay for the next term."

For more, continue to check back with Stow Patch.

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