The Athens City Council plans to amend the city’s code to address reappointment issues

By: Jack Greene
Posted on: Tuesday, October 29, 2024

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — The mayor of Athens and councilmembers remain at odds over whether mayoral reappointments require the council’s approval.

Mayor Steve Patterson said if the council tries to give itself that authority through a code change, he may veto the amendment.

The city code says the mayor needs the council’s approval for new appointments to boards and commissions he oversees, but is silent on whether the mayor needs approval for reappointments.

The quirk in city code became a point of contention when the council took up two reappointments to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Law Director Lisa Eliason recommended the mayor seek approval of his reappointments to the BZA based on precedent.

Patterson disagreed with that opinion and instead moved forward with his two reappointments and swore in both candidates to a new three-year term on the BZA.

Multiple councilmembers raised concerns with Joe Krause’s reappointment after they heard of issues with the Athens landlord, in particular multiple code violations at his rental properties.

Krause has since resigned from the board. When asked, Patterson did not say whom he plans to appoint to fill the position, or when the appointment will come before the council.

Eliason suggested the council amend the city code to clarify mayoral reappointments in the law.

Councilmember Alan Swank told WOUB he plans to propose an amendment to the city code addressing the issue at the council’s next committee meeting on Nov. 12.

Patterson said if that is the case, the council needs to give him the power to veto the council’s appointments and reappointments to their boards and commissions.

The Board of Zoning Appeals is one of around 13 boards and commissions the mayor makes appointments and reappointments to.