Charter change brings no public comment
By Jerry Gaulding Editor, Free Press

Concerted opposition to a proposed city charter for Diboll did not arise at last week's public hearing, although former Mayor James Simms questioned one provision in particular.

Most attendees at the hearing seemed generally supportive of the proposed charter. Simms, mayor for 21 years before retiring last year, questioned the provision in the charter that requires a city employee who leaves his or her job to wait a year before running for council. Similarly, a council member must be off the council for a year before being eligible to be hired to a city job.

Called the "ax-grinder" provision, this requirement is found in almost all the charters studied by the Home Rule Commission, which sponsored the Tues

day, April 8, public hearing.

Simms said the city should be concerned that "the best person gets every job." He cited the example of Police Chief Kent Havard, who was on the city council when the chief 's job came open. Havard moved straight from the council to the chief 's position.

"People ought to be able to elect who they want to elect," Simms said, pointing to the flip side of the provision.

City Attorney Jimmy Cassels conceded the fact of Havard's move and that it had worked well, but added that nine out of 10 times, things don't go that well. "This is in the majority of charters" studied by the commission, he said.

City resident Linda Bowman asked about the new annexation powers that go with home rule city status. Cassels said the city now would have the ability to annex territory without a popular vote, but added that this is a power that cities don't use lightly.

State law requires that city services, such as water, sewer and police protection, be provided to newly annexed areas within two years, Cassels said. Running water and sewer lines is expensive and the city will not annex an area if it is not economically feasible.

Early voting begins April 28.