Getting Started

There are FOUR major and ONE minor sections to this booklet.

Getting Started

Primer on City Charters

Fostoria PLUSes and MINUSes

Charter Questions & Answers

Ending Note

Fostoria Ohio and Charter Cities

This booklet does not shed light on any and every question you might wish answered about Charter Cities. It does explain in some depth the two different ways that cities may be organized in Ohio and what the differences are between these options. It also explains the requirements stipulated by the State of Ohio for a city to become chartered. There are a few brief discussions about charters in general and Fostoria in particular. And that's about it. No comics, no weather and no market reports.

The material in this booklet has been gathered from many diverse sources. The Ohio Municipal League deserves many thanks for their prompt replies to questions. Ray Dell has given Fostoria a priceless heritage of pictures rescued from the vagaries of time. The Fostoria Review-Times and the Fostoria Focus were both valuable sources. The following web sites were helpful as were many other sites from which we picked up a scrap of data here and a tasty fact there.

www.ci.glendale.ca.us/government www.icma.org

www.haas.uwf.edu/charter/TaxStudy www.omunileague.org

www.omunileague.org/CooperatingAssociations

www.ncl.org

Who’s on first?

Here's how we got from there to here. In 1900 a hurricane destroyed most of Galveston TX and all of its outer protection from the Gulf of Mexico: dikes and levees. Like many profligate cities, then and now, Galveston was financially insolvent even before the hurricane struck--living from hand to mouth. Business was at a standstill. No one seemed to know what to do about it. New Orleans comes to mind. Some things never change.

A group of citizens bypassed the city officials altogether. Remember this was in 1900, long before it became the fashion to lean on the Federal Government for relief and sympathy.

Mostly these were businessmen who were appalled at the desperate financial straits of every one in the blighted area--themselves included. No matter how determined to succeed they were, they quickly realized they could do little without some legal standing. So they petitioned the Texas State Legislature to help them. Their plight was so desperate that they agreed to the legislatures' requirement that a committee or board of 5 people, most of them appointed by the State, be officially appointed to take control of Galveston; the committee began its work in 1901.

This seemingly local event, taking place only a century ago, was to have monumental and momentous consequences. It was the beginning of the charter movement in the United States. Galveston was a small city with no complex problems--other than a hurricane now and then. Board members were mostly active people who kept their regular jobs. The change in Galveston was electrifying. In spite of just suffering a hurricane (in which more than 6000 people were killed) the city's administrative expenses decreased by a full third and the city's bonds rose to a premium. Needless to say, other Texas cities took note.

A Texas court soon decreed that the legislature could not arbitrarily set up such a commission; every member must be elected by the voters of the city. When cities in other states adopted this system their states accepted the Texas court dictum of required local elections. Thus was born the charter concept of city government--with the novel twist that the charter committee would set up a local government and then dissolve itself. Houston and Dallas soon became charter cites and eventually the great success of the concept spread througout the United States. There’s more on the history in the Q&A section in this booklet.

Dayton was the first in Ohio to become a charter city. Because almost 75% of Ohio cities are chartered there isn't much to be gained in listing these cities. It would require much less effort to list those few cities that are not yet chartered.

Here is the list--in alphabeticl order--of the 32 candidates

for the 15 member City Charter Commission (CCC)

ALTWIES, James R. (Jack) HOWARD, Kathleen

ANDERSON, Brian (write-in) KINN, Frank J.

BAKER, Candi KNIGHT, Charles A.

BEASTON, Brian KURTZ, Daniel

BOWMAN, Patricia MANLEY, Larry D.

BRUBAKER, Jack C. MCNINCH, Dan

BUGNER, Lowell F. MENNEL, James R.

BURNS, Timothy A. MILLER, Judy R.

CARDENAS, Pete J. MYERS, Claudia

COPLEY, James R ROUSH, John II

ECHELBERRY, Rod SCHAFFNER, Richard C.

GIBAT, Norman SPYKER, Bernie

GILLETT, Donald STEINACKER, Dan

GREEN, Robert H. WOLPH, Cindy

HAY, Willard R. Jr. (Bill)

HEYKOOP, Cortland

HIPSHER, Leah J.

HOREN, Bea Kay

Some Fostoria Names and Roles

Mayor: John A. Davoli

Auditor: Steve Garner

Treasurer: Donald S. Yarris

Zoning Inspector: Tiffany Shaver

Safety Service Director: Bill Rains

Law Director: Alicia W. Roshong

Municipal Judge: John D. Hadacek

Fostoria City Council

If Fostoria does eventually become a charter city here will be the unsung heroes; the present Fostoria City Council. They are the ones who had to start rolling the ball and they did so unanimously. Once the vote was taken Joe Droll spent many, many unpaid hours defending and explaining their position--as did the other Council members.

Joe E. Droll President Of Council

Don Myers Barbara L. Marley

Paul Feasel Georgiana Widmer

Teresa J. Lee Dave Clark

Thomas E. Lake

Clerk Of Council: Paul W. Allison

A Primer on City Charters in 11 easy lessons

Lesson # 1: What is a Municipal Corporation (MC)?

In the United States (US) a Municipal Corporation (MC) is the accepted name for any group of people in a state, that adopts a unique label for themselves and seeks political recognition by the State Legislature. Chicago, Fostoria, Tiffin, RisingSun and Burgoon are all Municipal Corporations (MC).

Lesson 2: What are the size limits for Municipal Corporations?

In Ohio the designation for an MC is either CITY or VILLAGE. That’s it! Some states include such names as TOWN but Ohio does not.

A Village is an MC with a population of less than 5000. Any MC larger than 5000 is a City. Fostoria Ohio is a City.

Note that the designation "Town Center" may be incorrect in Ohio since Ohio does NOT legally define the term TOWN . However it is widely accepted and has a well enough understood meaning that no one should care.

Lesson 3: Who sets the rules for Villages and Cities?

There are many types of cities in the U.S. but mainly they fall into 1 of 2 categories

1. Statutory (also called a "General Law City")

Fostoria is a Statutory city. It is organized under the General Law of the State of Ohio and has only those powers expressly conferred by the Ohio Legislature.

2. Charter (sometimes known as "Home Rule City")

A charter is sometimes looked upon as a Grant of Power. This is misleading if not downright false. A Charter is essentially a Constitution and operates as a limitation of power. It is an instrument of limitation and restriction on the exercise of power over all the affairs of the city. It is written and approved by the voters of each city. The provisions in this charter have the same force and effect as the laws of the state. Presently, of course, Fostoria does not have a charter.

Lesson 4: How does a Statutory city government work?

The legislators of the State write the laws that specify how each city and village will be organized and how they will operate once organized. This is called the Ohio Revised Code and it is used by all statutory (non-charter) cities and villages. These are essentially default laws. They regulate such matters as the organization of the local government, its conduct and the duties of its staff and employees--elected and non-elected alike.

If a city or village wishes to change one of these fundamental procedures they must petition the state legislature. Since the change is at the State level it would necessarily affect every other city or village in the State. It's easy to understand why it is extremely difficult, and often impossible, to have such changes made or even seriously considered.

Essentially the philosophy behind a Statutory city government is "One size fits all".

lesson 5: How does a Charter City work?

It should not be thought that the statutes of the State of Ohio apply only to "Statutory" cities and villages. The Statutes of the State legislature reign supreme everywhere in the state except where pre-empted by Federal laws. Many general laws do apply only to statutory cities. However the rules of order for even the charter cities must originate with the State Legislature--and they do.

Under the charter concept and within very wide limits, each city or village is allowed to organize themselves as best they see fit. Even to the extent that the laws of a charter city may prevail over state laws when these are inconsistent--subject to premption on matters of statewide concern. Note that, in most cases, any and all charter provisions that conflict with State laws are null and void; this is the doctrine of preemption (Superiority of Federal over State law, State over Local and Local over individual).

Charter cities and villages can organize their own government and specify the conduct of that government, including all of its various departments and staffing. They have PLENARY power (that is, complete power) to deal with officers and employees of the city or village--including their compensation. They CANNOT interfere with the civil service rules or bargaining agreements since State and Federal laws would preempt any such local law.

Lesson 6: What are the advantages of a Statutory City Government?

To answer that we need to digress a moment to look at the qualifications for being a member of the Charter Commission. You must be a registered voter. You must seek a recommendation on a petition from at least 5 other Fostoria voters. You must personally file this petition with the county. You must publicly stand for election. All

of this is done at your own expense. It requires more than a year to complete the process and you will not receive any pay.. During the time you are on the commission you are subject to public scrutiny and criticism. There's not many really fun things to do on that list are there?

Now we can begin to see why we still have more than a few statutory city governments remaining in Ohio.Anything worthwhile in this world requires hard work. Trust us on that. Most of us would agree that organizing a good government for ourselves is worthwhile. Therefore it is hard work. Not many people seem to enjoy hard work; especially if it is unpaid work that will likely bring nothing but criticism down upon the head of the doer.

Every State recognizes some trail of logic similar to the above. Consequently the State Legislatures, in their infinite wisdom, have designed a default City and Village government scheme (Statutory or General Law) that will work. It is seldom a great fit but it's free and it's been tested by trial and error.

Lesson 7: What are the advantages of a Charter City Government

The colonists back in the good ol' days (before 1776) had a tried and true form of government that was not nearly so bad as some history books might have us believe. Actually, for the times, starting with their original "charters", each of the states had a pretty good government, supported by the British Empire.

Yet they objected to even the relatively mild control exercised by the British Government back in Merry 'Ol England. The colonists lived here and they felt they knew what was best for them. This analogy is not a great one but neither is it an irrelevant one.

The argument that the statute form of government has been tested by trial and error over the years is a good argument for keeping it. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending upon your viewpoint, it is a specious argument. Since the Galveston hurricane of 1900 the charter form of government has been thoroughly tested in the courts of every state.

In the present, Cities and Villages who feel they know best how they should be governed, and feel capable of doing it, should opt for a Charter Government. Cities and Villages whose voters feel unsure of themselves or who do not trust themselves or their fellow citizens, should opt for the impartial Statute Government.

Lesson 8: What effect would a City Charter have on the average citizen?

It is unlikely that there would be any noticeable change on a day-by-day basis. Noticeable improvement should come about by structural changes made in the city government. And those will take time.

Charter cities have the power to create police, fire and zoning departments. But so do ordinary statute cities. The difference is that Charter Cities can organize these departments to best suit local conditions--and then change the departments if local conditions change. Statute cities do not have this flexibility.

Similar areas of greater flexibility for Charter Cites exists for setting compensation; adopting ordinances; setting term limits; fixing the size of the City Council and how they will be elected and when and how they shall serve; fixing the terms and conditions of public employment; allowing or not allowing a City Manager or even a Mayor; setting the duties and responsibilities of everyone in the city government--from the Mayor in his second story office down to the worker in the lowest depths of the city sewer system.

It has been noted that charter commissions have a great deal of room to maneuver. They can specify a city council of 2 members with no mayor and no city manager OR they can leave the system in place exactly as they found it--mayor, council, departments, titles and compensations. But whatever they decide upon must be approved by the voters so their choices must be rational and defendable in the public forum.

If the work of fashioning a City Charter is done properly, everyone connected with the correct functioning of the City of Fostoria should be able to perform their tasks better and, perhaps, find them more pleasant, if not more pleasing, than before.

Lesson 9: How many cities in Ohio are charter cities?

There are 251 cities in Ohio and 688 villages. 184 of the cities are chartered (73%). 58 of the villages are chartered (8%). From these figures it can be seen that there is a GREAT difference between the number of city charters and village charters. It's more than apparent that the charter concept is very much preferred in cities with populations greater than 5000. The population of Fostoria is approximately 13,500. Census figures of 20,000+ take in the adjacent areas.

There would almost certainly be more villages with charters were it not for the great amount of work that is required--and the fact that this work is unpaid. See Lesson #6 .

Lesson 10: How can Fostoria become a Charter City?

A charter city begins and ends at the ballot box.

On Tuesday, November 8, 2005 there will be two items on the Fostoria ballot..

1. Do you want to form a City Charter Commission? (or some such similar wording)

2. If a City Charter Commission is formed, which 15 of the below 32 voters should be members of it? (you may select only 15)

If the response to number 1 above is NO that is the end of the matter. Number 2 is dead and buried.

If the response to number 1 above is YES then number 2 becomes very important. Those 15 people with the most votes become the City Charter Commission (CCC). However that is STILL not the end of it.

The CCC (City Charter Commission) now has less than 9 months to write a charter that fits the needs of Fostoria. To do so, of course, they are going to need to talk to the present city officials, business owners, prominent Fostorians and many, many ordinary citizens like you and us.

The completed charter must be printed and mailed to every Fostoria voter at least 90 days before the next following election--which would be on Tuesday, November 7, 2006.

If the charter does not receive a majority vote then, again, this is the end of the line.

If it does receive a majority vote then it would go into effect on January 1, 2007. That is when the "fun" would begin.

Lesson #11: Referendum and Initiative

Although this has little applicability to the subject at hand, every reader should know that Ohio is a state with guaranteed initiative and referendum. What this means is that even though the legislature is empowered to enact laws, any of these enactments can be placed on the State ballot and be overturned by a majority vote. To place an issue on the ballot requires a sufficient number of signatures from registered voters.

End of this section

At this point a STRONG word of caution is needed.

No one should expect miracles. Becoming a charter city will not be the answer to anyone's prayers. If my personal life is a mess on December 31, 2006 it will still be a mess on January 2, 2007, whether a charter is approved or not. A charter is not going to change human nature. Murder, rape and mayhem happen in San Francisco as well as in Fostoria. Drugs will still be sold on the streets and in the alleys. Tornadoes will still visit our area now and then. Your neighbor or your co-workers will still either like you or dislike you. The police will hand out tickets and the zoning inspector will still give citations.

Any improvements will be gradual. Looking back in any particular week would net you nothing. Looking back after a year or two you should be able to detect some small but discernible improvements. After five or ten years the differences should be readily apparent and if the differences aren't improvements then everyone has failed. We could no longer blame "the system" because we would have designed it ourselves from the ground up.

This is all to say that if instant success is expected (or perhaps even very rapid success) then a charter is not the answer. Don't let anyone tell you differently

Fostoria Pluses and Minuses (+ and -)

A listing of Fostoria's problems is not wildly different from the problems of any other city of the same size.

SIDEWALKS

They have become almost unwalkable. With the price of gasoline going through the roof we may need to use them in the near future.

STREET SIGNS

Not nearly so bad as the sidewalks but Fostoria definitely needs new and improved street signs. Many are missing and many more are in need or repair or replacement.

BUILDINGS

Unfortunately this is a bad category for Fostoria. Some buildings are now being taken down but many more need to go. And we are not talking only about the buildings of "other people". The writer of this paragraph owns an unoccupied decrepit building in Fostoria that soon must be torn down and the sooner the better. But even that eyesore is in far better shape than many other buildings in Fostoria--too many of which are still being occupied.

Fortunately, largely through the efforts of the Review-Times and especially Judy and Don Miller, the downtown area of Fostoria is in surprisingly good shape (Judy Miller is a candidate for the City Charter Commission). Many towns with better statistics than Fostoria have central business areas that are a disaster. But moving away from downtown in any direction one quickly discovers numerous homes and buildings, some abandoned and some not, that at best, need serious attention.

This is part of the decaying Fostoria infrastructure and it is a difficult area to deal with. A charter city is probably not going to be any more successful at upgrading the infrastructure than any other city administration, here or elsewhere. After all, one man's junkpile may be another's pride and joy. This is a situation that, to be effective in the long run, must be dealt with on a gradual and continuing basis.

RAILROADS

Fostoria is a railroad city and most of us wouldn't have it any other way. The railroad, too, needs to adhere to certain minimal guidelines. It is often stated that "Nothing can be done about the railroads because they have Federal protection." That's not true. Yes, indeed, they do have Federal squatter's rights. But they also have sensitive buttons that can be pushed. Just like the rest of us.

. Fostoria has more good points than bad. Count our blessings:

STREETS

Most of Fostoria's streets are in reasonably good repair throughout the year. This is probably due to state and/or federal subsidies, but what the heck.

3 COUNTIES

It's surprising how many people complain about the tri-county location of Fostoria. Yes we do have 3 county seats to contend with. However each Fostorian primarily deals with only that county of her residence. The good part is that when Fostoria is in need of some clout at the state level (and to a certain degree the Federal) it has THREE TIMES as much clout as do any of our neighboring one-county cities. Well… theoretically anyhow.

AIRPORT

Again thanks to generous subsidies, Fostoria has a modern airport

LIBRARY & YMCA

Our library facilities rank right along with those of any other city our size and even larger. The Fostoria YMCA is far better than nearly any city of the same size—anywhere!

NEWSPAPERS

In a day and age when cities even the size of Toledo have but a single newspaper, Fostoria has TWO excellent newspapers. Never mind what the reason is for this. Not only do we have two newspapers but, in the best tradition of the media, they are competitive. That competitiveness is likely the strongest reason why our downtown--which had seriously started to decay like many others in Ohio--is alive and healthy today. The town is better for them. It's a fact and that's all that matters.

WATER

Thanks to some of our forward looking "city leaders" from the past (whatever and whomever those are), Fostoria has an actual SURPLUS of water. And without drawing on Lake Erie.

PARKS and so forth

Fostoria has good parks, two major cemeteries and a modern hospital.

BUSINESSES

Fostoria has always been a manufacturing city. Like the railroads, it comes with the territory. And, like the railroads, most of us wouldn't have it any other way. Better yet many of these businesses are home grown--mostly or altogether owned and operated by Fostoria or Ohio natives. Mennel Milling, Roppe Rubber, Fostoria Industries and Norton Mfg are examples of successful local businesses that are responsible for bringing in much of the cash flow that keeps the city solvent. Autolite, Amerikart, Seneca Wire and the good 'ol "Carbon Works" employed and still employ many relatives and friends of the writer of this paragraph. This is not an exclusive list but it is representative..

The reader of this booklet can add more to both the GOOD and the BAD points listed directly above but probably the good will continue to outnumber the bad. Before we become too complacent, however, we should look around to see how we compare with our neighbors. Such a comparison isn't very flattering for Fostoria. Here's a comparison of some statistics from the Census Bureau between Fostoria, Findly and Tiffin. The population figures are for the cities and their surrounding areas.

FINDLAY Population: 51753

Income per household: 110% of national average

Average house value: 100% of national average

People with a Bachelor's degree or higher: 16.1%

Unemployment: 3.2%

People below poverty line: 1.4%

TIFFIN Population: 29508

Income per household: 96% of national average

Average house value: 84% of national average

People with a Bachelor's degree or higher: 11.2%

Unemployment: 5.6%

People below poverty line: 5.9%

FOSTORIA Population: 20326

Income per household: 84% of national average

Average house value: 64% of national average

People with a Bachelor's degree or higher: 6%

Unemployment: 5.5%

People below poverty line: 11.6%

Q & A about

City Managers,

Mayors and Councils

Most of the material in this short section can be found on the WEB site of the ICMA (International City/County Management Association). Since 1914, ICMA has been the professional organization for appointed chief management executives in local government. This abridgement with additional comments was prepared by Kathleen Howard, 741 N. Countyline St. Fostoria OH 44830 on October 7, 2005. Copies are distributed free at this address (Noguska LLC) during normal working hours.

Although there is neither a certainty that there will be a charter commission in Fostoria nor that it will eventually choose to include a City Manager, most questions tend to be about the Council-Manager form of city government.

A Charter City has continuity built right into it. The Statutory city requires a new learning curve every time a different administration is voted in—which can be anywhere from 2 to 8 years in Ohio. This is unfunded training for all the new staff (including the newly elected), at the expense of the public.. This may be why non-chartered cities are often broke.

The greatly enhanced local authority and control over its own "municipal affairs", provide compelling arguments for charters. Chartering a city is sometimes referred to as implementing "home rule."

Nevertheless, after Exploring the issues a charter commission may actually choose to stick with what they have! Exactly. Lock, stock and barrel, so to speak. Every charter city chooses the system that seems to best suit their problems and solutions. And they do not have to be infinitely wise. If they choose poorly the system can be altered at the next election--unlike the statutory form of government which is NOT subject to local

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What is the council-manager plan, which is used in so many local governments?

The council-manager plan is the system of local government that combines the strong political leadership of elected officials in the form of a council or other governing body, with the strong managerial experience of an appointed local government manager. The plan establishes a representative system where all power is concentrated in the elected council as a whole and where the council hires a professionally trained manager to oversee the delivery of public services.

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Is it a responsive form of government?

In council-manager government, council members are the leaders and policy makers in the community elected to represent various segments of the community and to concentrate on policy issues that are responsive to citizens' needs and wishes. The manager is appointed by council to carry out policy and ensure that the entire community is being served. If the manager is not responsive to the council's wishes, the council has authority to terminate the manager at any time. In that sense, a manager's responsiveness is tested daily.

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What is the function of the council?

The council is the legislative body; its members are the community's decision makers. Power is centralized in the elected council, which approves the budget and determines the tax rate, for example. The council also focuses on the community's goals, major projects, and such long-term considerations as community growth, land use development, capital improvement plans, capital financing and strategic planning, rather than the administrative details. It hires a professional manager to carry out the administrative responsibilities and supervises the manager's performance.

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What is the manager's function?

The manager is hired to serve the council and the community and to bring to the local government the benefits of training and experience in administering local government projects and programs on behalf of the governing body. The manager prepares a recommended budget for the council's consideration; recruits, hires, and supervises the government's staff; serves as the council's chief adviser; and carries out the council's policies. Council members and citizens count on the manager to provide complete and objective information, pros and cons of alternatives, and long-term consequences. Managers formed a professional association, ICMA, in 1914 to help share expertise and experiences in local government management to

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What is the cost impact on the local government of appointing a professional manager?

Local governments have found that overall costs have actually been reduced with competent management. Savings may be in the form of reduced operating costs, increased efficiency and productivity, improved revenue collection, or effective use of technology.

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Does the manager participate in policy determinations?

The manager makes policy recommendations to the council, but the council may or may not adopt them and may change or modify them. The manager is bound by whatever action the council takes.

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Where does the mayor fit in?

Mayors in council-manager communities (or chairpersons in counties) are key political leaders and policy developers. With the council, the mayor is responsible for soliciting citizen views in forming these policies and interpreting them to the public. The mayor presides at council meetings, serves as a spokesperson for the community, facilitates communication and understanding between elected and appointed officials, assists the council in setting goals and in advocating policy decisions, and serves as a promoter and defender of the community. In addition, the mayor serves as a key representative in intergovernmental relations. The mayor, council, and manager constitute a policy-development and management team.

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Does the council-manager plan take only one form?

No. One of its most attractive features is that it is adaptable to local conditions and preferences. For example, some communities have councils that are elected at large while other councils are elected by district. Some local governments have mayors who are elected by the voters at large; others are elected by their colleagues on the council.

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Is this plan used only in certain kinds of cities?

No. In fact, it is not restricted to cities. It is used by counties too. Over 3,000 local governments operate under this plan. They vary greatly in size and characteristics, including independent cities, center cities, suburbs, and hundreds of counties. In fact, many counties adopt some kind of professional management structure each year, becoming the fastest growth area for some form of council-manager government.

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How much citizen participation is possible in this system?

Unlimited citizen participation is encouraged by whatever means the citizens decide to utilize, including joining citizen groups, serving on advisory boards and commissions, attending council meetings, participating in hearings, or serving on the council. With political power concentrated in the council instead of in one elected official, more citizens have an opportunity to be elected to a position with significant influence over the future of their community.

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What is the history of the council-manager plan?

The plan is an American concept. Even though the concept began in Galveston TX, the first position legally defining, by ordinance, the broad authority and responsibility associated with today's local government manager was in Staunton, Virginia, in 1908. Sumter, South Carolina, was the first city to adopt a charter incorporating the basic principles of council-manager government in 1912. Westmount, Quebec, introduced the plan to Canada in 1913. The first large city to adopt the plan was Dayton, Ohio, in 1914. The first counties to adopt it in the 1930s were Arlington County, Virginia, and Durham County and Robeson County, North Carolina.

It is popular for local governments in such countries as Canada, Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and West Germany. For more than 80 years, council-manager government has shown durability and flexibility in responding to the changing needs of citizens and their communities.

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What salary does the manager receive?

Earnings of managers depend on their educational background and experience, the size and complexity of the local government employing them and the economic conditions of the region where communities are located. The council sets the manager's salary.

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Can the manager be fired?

Managers serve at the pleasure of the council or governing body. They can be fired by a majority of the council, consistent with local laws, ordinances, or employment agreements they may have with the council.

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Where do managers get their prior experience?

Data compiled by ICMA indicate that 77 percent of those appointed to manager positions in recent years have come directly from other governmental positions, and 63 percent of the managers surveyed have a master's degree.

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Do managers participate in local politics?

It is a requirement of the ICMA that every member shall refrain from participation in the election of the members of the employing legislative body, and from all partisan political activities which would impair performance as a professional administrator

END of this section