Government

Chardon City Government is led by an elected seven-member Council and their appointed City Manager. Through City Council the municipality exercises all the powers of local self-government granted by the Ohio Constitution and general laws of the State of Ohio.

City Charter

The City's Charter is like the constitution of the City and sets out the City's form of government and some basic foundational rules of the City. This document may only be amended by a vote of the public and is the founding document of the City.

Chardon Municipal Center

Council-Manager Form of Government

The City Charter establishes the Council-Manager form of government for the City of Chardon. The council-manager form is the most popular structure of government in the United States among municipalities with populations of 2,500 or more. It is one of several ways in which U.S. municipalities can organize.

Under a Council-Manager form of government, residents elect a governing body (City Council) to adopt legislation and set policy. The governing body then hires a professional manager with broad executive authority to carry out those policies and oversee the local government’s day-to-day operations.

Learn more about the Council/Manager form of government

Legislative Branch - Mayor & City Council

The legislative branch of Chardon Government is City Council, led by the Mayor. The public elects 6 "At-Large" Councilmembers from the entire City and one Mayor to serve as President of Council and ceremonial head of the City. City Council can then pass new laws via ordinances or issue directives through resolutions. Council may not enact any law that violates a "higher law" such as the City Charter.

To learn more about City Council visit our City Council webpage.

Executive Branch - City Manager

The City Manager serves as the City's Chief Administrative Officer. The Manager is responsible for the operations of the City and ensuring Council's vision and policies are achieved. The Manager is a professional in the field of public administration appointed by City Council similar to a company CEO appointed by the board of directors.

To learn more about the City manager visit our City Manager webpage.

Judicial Branch - Chardon Municipal Court/ Commissions

Chardon Municipal Court serves as the primary court of record for local misdemeanor matters not only for the City of Chardon but for all other villages and townships in the County. The court handles both criminal and civil matters and is led by an elected Judge.

Learn more about the Chardon municipal court on the court's website.

The City also has two commissions that serve as quasi-judicial bodies to settle outside of court disputes of limited scope. The Planning Commission considers matters of urban planning and land use as well as disputes involving zoning or property maintenance codes. The Civil Service Commission provides for civil service testing for police officers and resolves some minor labor disputes.