Newark City Council passed an ordinance requiring council members to be up to date on their taxes, utilities and other fees to the city at Monday’s Council meeting.
Councilmembers unanimously signed off on the ordinance after adding an amendment allowing for a 60-day grace period. The original draft allowed for 30 days.
If a Councilmember is in arrears, they will receive a written notice from the city to pay the fee. From that point, they have 60 days to pay off the delinquency. If that doesn’t happen, their seat will be declared vacant and a special election will ensue.
Councilmember Jason Lawhorn said he has some concerns.
“I think being elected is a powerful thing,” Lawhorn said. “And I would hate to see someone that's otherwise trying and in good standing and doing all the right things, but can't afford all their bills, being kicked out. I'm struggling with that a little bit.”
Lawhorn said a person experiencing financial hardship should still be able to act as a voice for the community if they were elected.
Newark City Manager Tom Coleman helped Councilmembers workshop the ordinance.
“We can do payment arrangements for up to six months, but there are ways that you can disqualify yourself from getting a payment arrangement,” Coleman said. “So if you've defaulted on a previous payment arrangement or bounce checks and things like that.”
If a Councilmember enrolls in a city-approved payment plan, their dues are no longer considered delinquent and they can continue occupying their seat as long as they don’t default on a payment.
Lawhorn’s colleagues concurred the original draft was too strict and decided 60 days grace period and leeway for payment plans would offer some flexibility.
Also at Monday’s meeting, Newark City Council made a decision on Mexican restaurant Casa Kahlo’s special use permit to serve alcohol. It is not allowed to serve alcohol for 60 days after several violations.
The restaurant will still be allowed to serve alcohol at two special events planned before the vote.
Councilmember Marge Hadden says she was overwhelmed by the list of violations, which included six underage drinking violations and several fire code violations with citations sent to the business owners.
Councilmember Emile Brown represents the district where Casa Kahlo is located.
“I would like to see them succeed as best possible,” Brown said. “I am open to a 30 day with concession – no alcohol after 10 o'clock. That would be a concession on my part, but it's up to the rest of Council.”
That concession did not get the rest of Council’s support.
Instead, they suspended Casa Kahlo’s special use permit to serve alcoholic beverages for 60 days but allowed two exceptions for pre-planned events.
The restaurant’s owners said since the violations, they have put effort into making their restaurant safer by buying new ID scanners and employing new staff to follow stricter rules.
