Charter group’s web link request denied

Talk about it

To link or not to link? That was the question facing Afton City Council members at their March 18 meeting.

And the link in question? That was a request from the Afton Charter Commission for the city to place a link on its official website, directing Internet users to the charter commission’s newly-formed website.

City council members voted to reject the request, after engaging in some animated discussion of the subject.

They did, however, concede that once a final draft charter had been drawn up, it would be placed on the city’s website.

“We were very disappointed,” said Debby Nelson, who is a member of the charter commission. “We were just requesting a link so that residents could be more educated about what’s happening.”

The charter commission is currently meeting to examine other cities’ charters and determine whether one would be beneficial for Afton.

If it is decided that a charter is a good idea, a draft will be drawn up and presented to the electorate for approval.

A charter can place demands upon a city council such as requiring all ordinances to meet voter approval before being passed, and obtaining voter approval on bonding issued by the city.

The next meeting of the Afton Charter Commission is March 27 at 7 p.m. at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 880 Neal Avenue.

To visit the Afton Charter Commission website, log on to aftoncharter.org.

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