District 5: Richard J. Ranaghan, Jr.

Your Top Three Priorities

1.Review of the Entire City Charter
2.Public Input
3.Promote Financial Discipline and Oversight

Please list prior applicable experience:

1. City Finance Director 1981-87/ 1986 City Charte Commission staffer
2. Senior VP of Public Finance-Gorham Savings Bank 2006-present
3. Senior VP of Govt Banking--TD Banknorth 1992-2006
4. Past President and Board member--Downtown Portland Corporation

What do you hope to accomplish as part of the commission?

Remind the Commission that the review is about more than an elected Mayor. The Charter is the prime governance document that includes district elections; school budget processes; municipal bonding authority; and appointments. My public/private experience will aid in the review of the complete Charter.

What do you see as issues within the current structure of city government?

1. City and School Budget processes are not unified
2. Municipal borrowing authority is split between the Council and voters
3. Little City and School intragovernmental service coordination

What are you thoughts on the 1986 charter report? What prior issues would be the most helpful for the current Commission to consider?

The 1986 Commission addressed on a page by page basis the entire Charter. Experts testified to many sections of the Charter, providing the Commission with valuable information for their deliberations. This process will enable the new Commission to provde meaningful suggestions for any revisions

What other city charters have you examined? How would it inform your approach to analyzing our city’s charter?

In my daily work with municipalities in northern New England, I have examined numerous Charters, that while similar in many respects, also have distinct differences in such areas as residencey requirements; appointment authority, and long term borrowing requirements.

Would you support an elected mayor? If no, why not?

This issue needs to be reviewed and debated by the Commission after seeking public input. There are any number of possible authority levels that an elected Mayor might be granted--veto power; appointment authority; daily management duities. We need to let the Commission do its work before deciding what to suggest.

What parts of the current city charter do you feel are antiquated?

The 1986 Commission corrected many of the technical problems of the charter. Twenty three years have passed and the time is right for a thorough review and comparison to other City Charters

Would you consider re-districting the City of Portland? Why and how?

Again, public input on the issue should be encouraged and listened to. Are certain areas of the City not well-served by the present districting? Should we have , say, only five or seven councilors or expand to eleven, with more districts?

Would you modify the current relationship between the school committee and city council?

This relationship in the immediate past has been contentious. The Commission needs to determine if the Charter is the source of this problem.

What role do you think the charter commission should play to educate the public on changes made to the city charter?

It should be a very strong role. We need to hold public forums and hold district hearings. All of the Commissions deliberations should be advertised and televised.

What role is the charter commission for public engagement during the process of re-examining the charter?

As noted above, the Commission should reach out to all of the City's constituencies--residential, business and to the surrounding communities.  The public needs to feel welcomed to attend the Commission's meetings and be heard.

What else would you like to add?

As I life-long resident, I am proud of my past service to the community. I serve on the Boards of the Cumberland County Civic Center and Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Maine presently. I believe in giving back to the community and would be honored to serve as a Charter Commissioner.