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City Commission
Piqua Commission Vacancy Announcement
The 4th Ward City Commissioner position is currently vacant. Any citizen who has been a resident of the City of Piqua's 4th Ward for one (1) year may submit an application indicating their desire and willingness to fill the unexpired term.
Submit an application
Meetings
- 6:00 p.m.
- 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month
- Municipal Government Complex
201 W Water Street
Commission Chambers
Piqua, OH 45356
The Commission meetings follow an agenda and allow time at the end for questions, comments, and concerns of citizens. Video of City Commission meetings are available on the City of Piqua YouTube channel.
Agendas & Minutes
The Piqua City Commission meeting public notice and agenda will be released on the Friday before the commission meetings. The agenda packet will be released on the day of the meeting to ensure accurate and timely information to the public.
View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes
Members
Name | Ward | Term |
Jim Vetter | 1st Ward Commissioner | May 1, 2022 - December 31, 2023 |
Cindy Pearson (Mayor) | 2nd Ward Commissioner | January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2023 |
Kris Lee (Vice Mayor) | 3rd Ward Commissioner | January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2025 |
Vacant | 4th Ward Commissioner | January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2025 |
Kazy Hinds | 5th Ward Commissioner | January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2023 |
Interested in being on City of Piqua Commission?
Pick up a packet from the Miami County Board of Elections.
Open Position | Number of Openings Available |
1st Ward Commissioner | 1 |
2nd Ward Commissioner | 1 |
5th Ward Commissioner | 1 |
City of Piqua Election Process Information
Overview
Piqua is served by five commissioners representing the five wards. View our Interactive Ward Map. This map will allow users to zoom in, search for their address, and click on the parcel to confirm their ward and commissioner. The box adjacent to "Wards" will need to be checked on the right side of the screen under "Layer List" for the ward layer to appear.
Each Commissioner must live within the ward that he/she represents. Any person eligible to the commission may be placed in nomination by a petition filed in his behalf with the election authorities and signed by not less than 50 nor more than 100 electors of his ward, as a candidate for ward commissioner.
The election of commissioners is city-wide with the entire city electing all commissioners and is nonpartisan. Elected Commissioners serve a term of four years. City Commissioner elections are held in November in odd-numbered years. The election of commissioners is staggered so that all seats are not contested at the same time. Ward 3 and Ward 4 will be contested in 2013, 2017, etc. Ward 1, Ward 2, and Ward 5 will be contested in 2011, 2015, etc.
Mayor
The Mayor of Piqua is also known as the President of the Commission. They must be one of the five commissioners. The Mayor is appointed by a vote of the five commissioners. The mayor serves a two-year term.
For more detailed information about the election of Commissioners and the Mayor, please see the City of Piqua Charter.
City of Piqua Form of Government: Council-Manager
The City of Piqua runs on a Council-Manager form of government. Take a look at this short video from ICMA that explains what a Council-Manager form of government means and its benefits. Review the documents and videos linked in this section for more resources:
- What form of government does the City of Piqua use?
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The City of Piqua operates under the Council-Manager form of municipal government. In Piqua, the City Manager is hired by the City Commission and serves as this appointed administrator and operates as the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and oversees the day-to-day operations of the city.
- What is the council-manager form of government, which is used today by so many cities, towns, and counties?
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Council-manager government combines the strong political leadership of elected officials with the strong managerial experience of an appointed manager or administrator. All power and authority to set policy rests with an elected governing body, which includes a mayor or chairperson and members of the council, commission, or board. The governing body in turn hires a nonpartisan manager who has very broad authority to run the organization.
Born out of the U.S. progressive reform movement at the turn of the 20th century, the council-manager system was designed to combat corruption and unethical activity in local government by promoting effective management within a transparent, responsive, and accountable structure.
Since its establishment, the council-manager form has become the most popular structure of local government in the United States. The form is also widely used throughout the world in countries such as Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
- How does council-manager government work?
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The elected council or board represent their community and develop a long-range vision for its future. They establish policies that affect the overall operation of the community and are responsive to residents' needs and wishes.
To ensure that these policies are carried out and that the entire community is equitably served, the governing body appoints a highly trained professional manager on the basis of their education, experience, skills, and abilities (and not their political allegiances). If the manager is not responsive to the governing body, it has the authority to terminate the manager at any time.
- How can council-manager government benefit my community?
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A city, town, or county benefits from the council-manager form of government in a number of important ways:
- Political power is concentrated in the entire governing body. The mayor and council share legislative functions
- Policy making resides with elected officials, while oversight of the day-to-day operations of the community resides with the manager. In this way, the elected officials are free to devote time to policy planning and development
- The manager carries out the policies established by the elected governing body with an emphasis on effective, efficient, and equitable service delivery
- Because decisions on policy and the future of the community are made by the entire governing body rather than a single individual, council-manager governments more often engage and involve their residents in decision making. Residents guide their community by serving on boards and commissions, participating in visioning and strategic planning, and designing community-oriented local government services
- The form is flexible enough to adapt to local needs and demands. For example, some communities elect their councils at large, while others elect them by district or by a combination of an at-large-and-by-district system. Also, the mayor can be directly elected by voters or selected by and from among the council.
- What is the role of the manager under council-manager government?
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The manager is hired to serve the council and the community and brings to the local government the benefits of his/her training and experience in administering municipal or county projects and programs. The manager prepares a budget for the council's consideration; recruits, hires, terminates, and supervises government staff; serves as the council's chief advisor; and carries out the council's policies. Council members and residents count on the manager to provide complete and objective information about local operations, discuss the pros and cons of alternatives, and offer an assessment of the long-term consequences of their decisions.
Appointed managers serve at the pleasure of the governing body. They can be fired by a majority of the council, consistent with local laws, or any employment agreements they may enter into with the council. The manager makes policy recommendations to the council for consideration and final decision. The manager is bound by whatever action the council takes, and control is always in the hands of the elected representatives of the people.
- What is the role of the commission?
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The council is the community's legislative and policymaking body. Power is centralized in the elected council, which, for example, approves the budget and determines the tax rate. The council also focuses on the community's goals, major projects, and such long-term considerations as community growth, land use development, capital improvement and financing, and strategic planning. The council hires a professional manager to implement the administrative responsibilities related to these goals and supervises the manager's performance.
- What is the role of the mayor or chairperson?
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Mayors or chairpersons in council-manager communities are key political and policy leaders, and their specific duties, responsibilities, and authorities depend on the organization's charter. In council-manager communities, typically the mayor or chairperson is a voting member of the city council who:
- Presides at council meetings
- Represents the city in intergovernmental relationships
- Appoints members of citizen advisory boards and commissions (with the advice and consent of council)
- Assigns agenda items to committees
- Facilitates communication and understanding between elected and appointed officials
- Assists the council in setting goals and advocating policy decisions