About a dozen people, mostly city officials, attended last night's hearing on changing Richmond's city charter, and the three who spoke urged that the City Council continue to name the auditor.
Preliminary proposals by the Richmond City Charter Review Commission suggest letting the mayor and City Council share hiring and firing power over the auditor.
The commission's proposals seek to strengthen the independence of key officials and to resolve ambiguities that sparked confrontation and lawsuits in the first few years after Richmond changed its structure of government in 2005, Chairman John Douglass said.
Clarity is needed, said Turk Sties, a Fan District resident. "We could not force the mayor to perform as council ordered him to" during the first four years of the new system, he said.
He said he was concerned about the commission's proposal to change the way the auditor is named.
"The city auditor should be 100 percent independent," former Mayor Walter T. Kenney Sr. said.
Commission member Frederick Marsh said the aim is to ensure the neutrality of the auditor.
Richmond is unique in Virginia in having a directly elected mayor with executive powers, including the right to propose a budget and veto ordinances.
In addition to its proposal on the auditor, the commission recommends that the mayor and council share hiring and firing power over the city attorney and city assessor, both of whom are now council appointees.
It also says the City Council should have the power to appoint and fire its staff, including the chief of staff and council members' aides.
The commission also recommends giving the mayor veto power over all ordinances. The mayor now may veto ordinances that impose duties on the mayor, the chief administrative officer or department heads.
The commission plans to present a final report to the council later this month. It would be up to the council to decide whether to ask the General Assembly to amend the city charter.
Contact David Ress at (804) 649-6051 or dress@timesdispatch.com.
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