Troy's Charter Redrawn

TroyThe Troy Charter Review Commission mixed together the city's political history, its budget difficulties and an editor's sharp eye to draft a revised charter.The result is a proposed document that cuts the City Council to seven seats from nine, revamps the city's delivery of essential services, changes the city budget schedule and cuts out-of-date verbiage from the document."We would like this to be a document that has a long life span," said William Dowd, a charter commission member and retired Times Union editor.Commission Chairman Ian Silverman, the city's corporation counsel, said the commission members discussed at length what changes would represent the best opportunities for providing services and transparency.It was determined to keep the six City Council districts with a citywide elected council president and drop two at-large seats.