Springfield voters will decide four amendments to city charter on November 3. According to an ordinance that was approved by Springfield City Council this month, the council has adopted operational excellence as a priority, and the amendments would help improve clarity, efficiency and accountability.
Question 1 would amend sections 3.1, 3.3(1), 3.4, 4.2 and 6.5. It would expressly authorize the city manager to delegate authority to perform charter-assigned duties of the city manager to assistant city managers. The city manager would be able to delegate to assistant city managers and department directors the ability to appoint and remove employees. And it would authorize department directors to delegate the authority to perform charter-assigned duties of the director to subordinate officers or employees within the department.
Question 2 would amend sections 4.1,6.2, 6.4, 6.6, 6.7 and 19.7 of city charter. It would replace the current three-step merit rule adoption process with a two-step process that removes the personnel board from that process. It would also authorize the human resources director to approve application forms in lieu of the personnel board.
Question 3 would amend sections 3.3(9), 5.3, 5.4, 10.4, 15.8 and 19.19. It would authorize the city council to fully establish purchasing by ordinance including the organizational structure, thresholds and types. And it would designate the city manager as the default signatory for purchasing and apply the existing competitive bidding requirement to additional purchasing methods.
Question 4 would amend the charter to replace gendered pronouns and references with gender-neutral equivalents. Currently, city charter uses the word "he" and "his" in its language.
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