North Mecklenburg News

issued the following announcement on Dec. 20.

The Council has been reviewing and discussing the original 1983 Charter for the Town of Weddington for several months with the goal to make sure as Weddington moves forward into the future, the charter continues to meet the needs of the community and residents of Weddington.

One area of consideration is the Form of Government. Weddington is currently a Mayor-Council form. The council is considering changing to a Council-Manager form of government. This does not change the number of town staff, it is merely reorganizing the current staff and staff responsibilities.  

Professionals from the University of North Carolina School of Government and League of Municipalities have spoken at past council meetings to share the differences, pros and cons, and answer questions. Below please find some frequently asked questions and their answers. 

Q: What is a Charter? Are changes permanent?

A: Town Charters set up the basic functions and services of the municipality when they initially incorporate as a community such as the number of elected officials and their terms; partisan or nonpartisan elections; districts or at-large elected officials; the structure of how the organization functions; etc. Changes are intended to be permanent or used until their intended use no longer serves a purpose. Charters can be changed within two years after the beginning of the term of the officers elected.

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Q: Why change the Charter now?

A: When Weddington incorporated in 1983, there were 453 residents; now, there are almost 14,000 residents. The current Charter has not been reviewed since our inception. The Council believes in taking a proactive approach as we prepare for the future and continued growth. This will help promote greater effectiveness and efficiencies, for the Town of Weddington.

Did you know that according to the 2020 Census, Weddington has grown 39.3% from 2010 – 2020 (and that does not include new residents since 2020!)

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Q: How long has the current board been reviewing the Charter?  

A: The Mayor and Council began reviewing and discussing the current Charter in April 2022. They have had several professionals from the UNC SOG and NCLM come and discuss the process, pros & cons, and Q&A with the council and residents at public meetings.

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Q: What is the Council-Manager form of government?

A: The council-manager form is the most popular structure of government in the U.S. among municipalities with populations of 2,500 or more. It is one of several ways in which U.S. municipalities and counties can organize.

Under this form, residents elect a governing body-including a mayor and council, to adopt legislation and set policy. The governing body hires a manager with broad executive authority to carry out those policies and oversee the local government’s day-to-day operations.

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Q: What is so special about the council-manager form of government?

A: Born out of the U.S. reform movement at the turn of the 20th century, the council-manager form was created to combat corruption and unethical activity within local government by prompting nonpolitical management that is effective, transparent, responsive, and accountable.

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Q: How can Council-Manager government benefit my community

A:

Flexibility – The council-manager form can adapt to local needs and demands.

Clearly Defined Roles – There is a clear distinction between the administrative role of the manager and the political and policy roles of the governing body, lead by the mayor. The day-to-day operations of the local government reside with the appointed manager, allowing elected officials to devote their time and energy to policy development and the assessment of the effectiveness of those policies within the community.

A Roadmap for Success – The council-manager form is the system of local government under which professional management is most likely to succeed. Professional managers can focus on service delivery, policy implementation, and performance management and can align the local services with the values, mission, and policy goals defined by the community and elected officials.

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Q: How are the duties of the Manager determined?

A: State Statute 160A-148 Powers and duties of the Manager dictate the responsibilities of the Town Manager. A manager's personnel powers exist by statute, and the council cannot take them away.

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Q: Is the Town of Weddington planning on adding additional personnel with this change?

A: NO. This is an internal organizational change. No additional staff is planned.

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Q: Will this change cost the Town of Weddington more money?

A: No. At this time, the Manager’s salary will not be changed.

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Q: How many towns our size in North Carolina have the Council-Mayor form that we are currently under?

A: None – Weddington is the only municipality in NC with over 10,000 residents to not be operating under this form.

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Q: Will the residents see a difference in the way the Town is being managed?

A: No – The day-to-day resident interaction will not change. The changes will happen internally.

 If you have a question that has not been addressed, please reach out to the council for more information.                 

Original source can be found here.