At the end of this month, voters in St. George will head to the polls to vote on various issues, including four constitutional amendments, mayoral and council races, and the Home Rule Charter. Drew Mourrell, chairman of the St. George Transition District and future City Council member for District 5, joins the show to discuss the significance of the Home Rule Charter, which serves as the city’s constitution. The charter aims to provide a framework for government operations, ensuring checks and balances to prevent any single entity from gaining excessive power.
The Home Rule Charter proposes a hybrid Council-manager form of government, emphasizing public-private partnerships to reduce long-term liabilities and overhead costs. This model aims to streamline government operations, making them more efficient and accountable. For instance, instead of having numerous full-time employees, the city will have a smaller, more manageable number of council members and shared assistants, reducing costs and increasing direct accountability to the public.
Mourrell highlights the benefits of public-private partnerships, which allow local businesses to bid for city contracts, keeping money within the local economy and reducing future pension liabilities. This approach contrasts with the current model in East Baton Rouge Parish, where a significant portion of the budget is tied up in long-term liabilities and maintenance costs.
If the Home Rule Charter does not pass, the city will default to the Larsen Act, a less flexible form of government that would remain in place for the next four years. Mourrell emphasizes the importance of having the Home Rule Charter in place from the start to ensure that elected officials operate under the new rules from day one.
The discussion also touches on the ongoing negotiations with East Baton Rouge Parish and how they might impact the implementation of the Home Rule Charter. Mourrell stresses the need for clear rules and accountability to ensure that the new city government operates efficiently and effectively from the outset.