FOUNDED IN 1924,
THE CHARTER COMMITTEE IS AN INDEPENDENT POLITICAL ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO
GOOD GOVERNMENT.
BOARD MEMBER WORKING COMMITTEES
Issues Committee
responds to upcoming ballot issues as well as
focusing on issues of general community concern
Endorsement Committee
identifies good government candidates.
Board Development Committee
identifies and interviews good government Cincinnatians to serve as a Charter board member.
Century of Charter Government Committee
is planning the Century of Charter Government six
month long schedule of programs.
BOARD MEMBERS
STEVE GOODIN Interim President
BOB DEHNER Finance Director
GALEN GORDEN Executive Board Member
JOAN PERKINS Administrative Assistant
Kevin Celarek
Dot Christenson
Darrick Dansby
Henry Frondorf
Mike Goldman
Tom Green
Justin Jeffre
Sam Lieberman
Seth Maney
Mark Manley
Bill Menrath
Megan Meyer
Carolyn B. Miller
Marilyn Ormsbee
Te'Airea Powell
Henry Ricke
Sean Rugless
Dee Stone
Jim Tarbell
Mary Wells
John Williams
COMMITTEES
HISTORY
The Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati was founded in 1924 to establish a unique local political party. At that time, Cincinnati was known for being
the most corruptly governed major city in the United States under the infamous Boss Cox Machine.
Under the leadership of Murray Seasongood, the Charter Committee proposed the country's first Council-Manager form of local government. The new charter replaced political patronage with civil service, implemented proportional representation, and established several separate Boards and Commissions, such as the Health Department, Parks, Historic Preservation and others. The first charter election resulted in six of nine council members from the Charter Party. Murray Seasongood was selected Mayor.
The Charter Committee has continued to be an active and important presence in Cincinnati for many decades. Charterites who have served as Mayor include: Dot Dolbey, Cincinnati's first woman mayor, Theodore Berry, Bobbie Sterne and Tom Brush. Other Charter council members include Arn Bortz, Marian Spencer, Jim Tarbell, Reggie Williams, Roxanne Qualls, Christopher Smitherman, Kevin Flynn and Yvette Simpson.
In 1999, voters amended the Charter, Cincinnati's constitution, to strengthen the Mayor's position. The Mayor became separately elected and was given the right to control Council's agenda, appoint members to Boards and Commissions, control committee agendas, initiate the hiring and firing of the City Manager, and veto Council votes. In 2013 the Charter was again amended to give the Mayor and Council four year terms. This amendment was rescinded in 2019 to return to two-year terms for Council members. The 2021 election elected a Mayor for a four year term and all Council members for two year terms.
In 2022 there were 2 changes, both at least partly the result of work by the Charter Committee. The City voted to eliminate the 'Pocket veto', a loophole that had been used multiple times since the 'Strong Mayor' vote. The Pocket Veto was used by Mayors to kill legislation by excluding topics from Council Meetings. The mayor and committees now have a maximum time they can delay items before items automatically appear on the appropriate agenda.
City Council also began the use of 'executive sessions', allowing discussion of sensitive topics without the public having access, but only in stricty controlled circumstances.