By Chad Selweski, Macomb Daily Staff Writer

As the Macomb County Charter Commission prepares to wrap up its work, charter amendments have altered the size of the Board of Commissioners, restricted the size of the elected executive's staff and fringe benefits may be eliminated for the part-time commissioners.

This week the panel altered several sections of the proposed charter — Macomb's first constitution — at the request of lawyers and fellow charter commissioners.

The draft charter had called for reducing the Board of Commissioners from 26 members to 11. An amendment to change the number of commissioners to 15 failed Wednesday but a compromise calling for 13 members — a 50 percent reduction — was approved by a wide margin.

The Charter Commission also approved an amendment that requires Board of Commissioners' approval for the staff proposed by the county executive for his office. Similar to the Cabinet selection process at the federal level, the executive will appoint a deputy executive, department directors and members of boards and commissions, with each appointee facing confirmation from the Board of Commissioners.

Under an amendment offered by Charter Commissioner Nick Ciaramitaro, all executive staff must also face confirmation, with the exception of the executive's secretary and administrative assistant.

"What he had before was that the only check on a bloated executive staff was through the budget process," said Ciaramitaro, a Roseville Democrat. "Unfortunately, that's the Wayne County system where … the executive has, I think, over 200 appointees."

An amendment that will be introduced next Wednesday by Charter Commissioner Harry Awdey calls for the elimination of the full package of fringe benefits awarded to the part-time Board of Commissioners. An Armada Republican, Awdey is proposing that the commissioners receive insurance benefits only if they pay the full cost incurred by the county.

Up until now, the "home rule" charter was written separately by four committees. As those four committee reports are meshed into a single charter document, questions and concerns have arisen. Most of the amendments under consideration refer to minor details or language deficiencies raised by the Charter Commission's legal team.

The 26-member panel will continue to address amendments Wednesday and the following two Wednesdays — June 10 and 17 — and must present the final document by June 19 to the governor for approval. The 6-month process will lead to a November ballot proposal seeking voter approval of the charter.

With some dissension emerging among the four Republican charter commissioners, Awdey predicts that his amendment will go down to defeat. He argues that the charter would be well received by the public if it ended the practice of providing full benefits to commissioners who only work several days a month.

"When you get to do the popular thing and the right thing, that's a privilege," said Awdey, who also offered the compromise calling for a 13-member Board of Commissioners.

Two union officials on the Charter Commission — Ciaramitaro and Donna Cangemi — oppose the amendment because they fear the impact it could have on part-time county workers. Currently, part-timers can receive health care benefits if they pay approximately one-half the cost.

"Realistically, you know what's going to happen. They (the commissioners) set their own salary so what's going to stop them from boosting their salaries to pay for the benefits?" said Ciaramitaro who, like Cangemi, works for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

A commissioners' salary — currently $32,000 — and benefits have created an ongoing tug of war for the Charter Commission.

According to state law, county commissioners must set their own pay. The commissioners are elected to 2-year terms in even-numbered years. Following each election, they address the pay and benefits for the incoming board.

In addition, the county charter, which would take effect Jan. 1, 2011, has no authority over the current board. The commissioners will set salaries next year for the 2011-12 board.

But the charter would alter the future process by requiring the commissioners to set their pay and benefits prior to the biennial election filing deadline in May. That timing change is designed as a safeguard by adding political pressure on the commissioners to keep the compensation low as each campaign season begins.

Charter Commission Executive Director Ralph "Skip" Maccarone said the several amendments on the agenda do not reflect poorly on the charter document's quality.

"Given that it took 10 amendments for people to sign off on the U.S. Constitution," Maccarone said, "I think we're doing pretty well."