ASHLAND MEMORIES: Ashland was among first three cities to adopt charter government
Ashland changed its form of government three times between 1909 and 1916. The original village government changed to a city format because of rising population, and then statewide changes allowed local leaders to establish a charter form of government.
Early in the 20th century, reformers believed that as society faced rapid changes because of immigration, industrialization and urbanization, the government should be more progressive in protecting its citizens and removing political corruption.
These progressives believed the Ohio Constitution was outdated, and in 1910 they convinced voters to approve a new Constitutional Convention to convene in January 1912.
At the 1911 election, Ashland County chose J.W. Fluke of Nankin over H.A. Mykrantz as its delegate to the Constitutional Convention.
The delegates decided not to rewrite the constitution, but instead proposed 41 potential amendments, of which 33 were approved by voters at a special election Sept. 3, 1912.
Among the amendments not approved by voters were ones for women’s suffrage, to abolish the death penalty and to provide for the use of voting machines in elections.
The amendments that were approved brought Ohio’s legal process more in line with rights of the accused. Others gave the state power to legislate protections for workers, regulate working hours and create a worker compensation system.
Did Ashland have 'slightly more government' than it needed?
Other reforms included direct primary elections and municipal home rule. This last was to have an immediate impact on Ashland.
After Ashland reached a population of 5,000 in 1910, it had to implement a city form of government, which it did in the 1911 election. Because this government was required of all cities, regardless of size, it generally was believed Ashland had “slightly more government than was necessary.”
Because of the constitutional amendments, municipalities now had the option to establish a charter form of government, and Ashland was one of the first three cities in Ohio to do so. The others were Springfield and Dayton.
In the spring of 1913, council passed an ordinance to propose to voters at a special election that the city form a charter commission. In June, voters approved the commission.
The 15 members of the Ashland charter commission met in the old Chamber of Commerce rooms, upstairs at 42 W. Main St. They included President J.L. Clark, Vice President Fred Edwards, Secretary John Henderson, Henry J. Schultz, Edgar Koehl, Reverend William Smith, Professor John A. McDowell, Professor J. Allen Miller, Charles Clark, William Moore, P.A. Myers, Clyde Sherrick, T.R. Shinn, A.S. Miller and George R. Freer.
After nearly a year of labor, the committee filed its report May 4, 1914, and at a special election in June, Ashland voters accepted the charter by a vote of 425-145.
According to that charter, elective positions in the city were mayor, council, director of law and director of finance.
The mayor was made ex-officio director of public service and public safety. The positions of auditor and treasurer were combined into one director of finance. Council was slimmed down to just five members, each elected at large.
Technically, the council consisted of representatives for each of four wards and one at-large member. However, the entire city voted on all council members. Nominations and elections were to be nonpartisan.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Thought to be government-heavy, in 1914 Ashland OKs a charter
