Davison City Council debates proposed changes to ‘three-fifths vote’ land rule

By Richard Zowie
INDEX Contributor
DAVISON — Proposed changes to a charter amendment, regarding land use that would allow the city council to sell some public property without holding a public vote, were discussed at the June 23 Davison City Council meeting.

The proposed changes would have to be submitted to Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox and would then be placed on the November ballot for voters to decide.

Currently, the sale of public land would require a three-fifths majority vote at a regular or special election. The changes would make the required three-fifths vote apply only to parks and cemeteries.
Other public lands that aren’t parks or cemeteries would not be required to undergo a 60 percent majority public vote.

Councilmember Ronald Emery said the proposed language amendment on the land use provision would mean that there would no longer need to be a 60 percent majority vote on developed property like parking lots, the site of city hall, the secretary of state’s office or other city-owned buildings.
Emery reiterated that this would not eliminate the vote for things like parks and cemeteries.

“This allows the city council to be progressive in developing the city and to entice developers,” Emery explained. “If a businessman wants to make a major investment in the city, the current three-fifths vote would tire our hands. We shouldn’t be restricted by a charter amendment that can be changed.”
Emery also wanted to move on the proposed amendment changes so that it could get sent to Lansing as soon as possible and be voted on in November.

Others felt that the charter should be left alone.

Councilmember Jim Hershberger, one of two who voted against the changes, said that he didn’t feel the city council should open the charter for every issue that comes around.

Mayor Fred “Mac” Fortner, who also voted no, said he doesn’t like giving the council this type of authority.

“I feel that what we need to do is take it and allow the people to vote on it on a case-by-case basis,” he said. “What this’ll do is change the charter, so that from now on the council can decide on certain properties what they want to do with them, or if someone comes up and wants to sell them. That may be OK in some instances, but I’m a firm believer that you give the people a chance to vote on the selling of city property. I don’t want the city to become a broker.”

The Davison City Council’s next scheduled meeting will be July 14.