Cheers and applause sounded from the council chambers Monday night following city council’s unanimous vote to send the Bowling Green charter amendment to the Board of Elections to decide whether it will appear on the November ballot.
Bowling Green City Council met Monday evening to discuss different town issues and developments, including the amendment calling for change in Bowling Green’s charter.
The contested amendment, titled “Community Rights to a Healthy Environment and Livable Climate,” drew the attention of diffent groups.
“As a young person in today’s world, I’m very concerned about whether my generation and generations that follow will be able to live healthy lives in a sustainable environment,” said University Environmental Action Group President Brad Holmes, lobbying in favor of the amendment. “A lack of action from our political offices could lead to very undesirable results.”
City council and Holmes addressed different arguements about the legitimacy of the proposed amendment and whether or not it had a different filing deadline than a standard ballot initiative during the meeting.
“With its placement on the November voting ballot,” Holmes said, “BG community members will be able to act on their democratic right to alter our charter — especially for ensuring that our political structure is designed to serve the people, by the people, for the people.”
Bowling Green State University sociology professor Laura Sanchez also lobbied on behalf of the amendment, drawing parallels between recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the adversity and deadlock surrounding the amendment’s passage.
“We’re being run over by Nexus and large corporations,” said Sanchez. “Mayor Dick Edwards wants to be a green mayor and join other mayors in working towards environmental sustainability.”
Council member Robert McComber said the vote does not signify the council’s endorsement of the amendment, but merely reflects the council’s support for further discussion.
Also covered in the meeting was an announcement from Ross Riley and Peter Riley, co-founders of Rapid Fired Pizza, about the opening of a new restaurant on South Main Street. They said they hope to bring more business and activity into the city, as well as to serve as many local craft beers as possible.
The meeting ended with the introduction and passage of new zoning legislation regarding vocational training school use in the city’s zoning code.
