NELSONVILLE, Ohio — Nelsonville City Council’s judiciary committee will recommend that the city take its case on a ballot initiative abolishing the city charter to the Ohio Supreme Court.
At the end of its Dec. 2 meeting, the committee voted 2–1 on the question. Committee chair Tony Dunfee and member Opha Lawson approved; Johnny Flowers voted against it.
City Law Director Jonathan Robe told the committee that the city had until Dec. 15 to file paperwork with the supreme court on the matter. Asked if council should call a special meeting to consider the matter, Robe said that the regular city council meeting on Monday, Dec. 9, should be fine.
On Nov. 5, Nelsonville residents overwhelmingly passed Issue 23, the measure that abolishes the Nelsonville city charter and replaces it with a mayoral government. In July, Athens County Common Pleas Court Judge George McCarthy ordered Nelsonville City Council to consider an ordinance placing the issue on the ballot; the Fourth District Court of Appeals upheld McCarthy’s order on Oct. 31.
Robe told the committee members that it was “very unlikely” that the supreme court would agree to hear the city’s appeal. On the other hand, he said that the unique nature of the case — no other city has faced a revocation of its charter via ballot initiative, as far as Robe can tell — could attract the court’s attention.
“It’s a novel question,” he said. “That’s why the supreme court exists.”
Meanwhile, the committee unanimously agreed to recommend that the council appoint an ad hoc commission of city residents to implement a new city government, as required by Issue 23.
The week before, on Nov. 25, Nelsonville City Council met for three hours — two of them in executive session to discuss “personnel and legal matters.”
When the meeting resumed, Robe addressed the city’s future since Issue 23 passed.
“The question now is, ‘What’s next?’” Robe said.
“We must bear in mind, we are in uncharted waters right now. The answer very well may be that there are no lawful ways. Nevertheless, council has directed and instructed me to identify the lawful way, if any, through those waters and to advise the city,” Robe said.
In other business on Nov. 25, council:
- Approved the city’s 2025 budget, with $14.3 million in expenditures.
- Approved an ordinance amending the city code to include Title 31 rental inspection and property maintenance.
- Approved a measure to contract planning and construction services for the dog park.
Council members Justin Booth, Nancy Sonick and Tony Dunfee were absent from the Nov. 25 meeting.
As the meeting wound down, council President Gregg Clement passed announcements over to acting City Manager and Chief of Police Devon Tolliver.
The room erupted in laughter as council member Cory Taylor coughed under his breath and jokingly said, “Make it quick.”
Nelsonville City Council meets every other Monday of each month, at Nelsonville City Council Chambers, 211 Lake Hope Dr. Its next regular meeting will be Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. Meetings are livestreamed on YouTube. Find more at cityofnelsonville.com.
