Legal assistance is coming from Jim Bisson, owner of Minor Bell Neal law firm in Dalton. Bisson said the 1913 charter is antiquated and doesn’t reflect the way city government has evolved.
The new draft provides for a mayor and council governing in the same manner as currently being practiced: one mayor and five council members elected on open ballots, without wards.
Per the new charter, three council members must be present to constitute a quorum, and the mayor can only vote on an issue in the case of two absences and one abstention.
The charter also provides for compliance with legislation that has been passed since 1913, such as the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, and modern concerns such as environmental protection.
The new charter also switches out the city recorder position for that of city clerk, and codifies the city manager position held by John Culpepper.
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