Washington Court House Councilman Talks Charter City at Murphy Theatre

Bruce Saunders & Jim Blair

“I’m prejudiced to a city manager… I think it’s by far the best way,” stated Jim Blair (R), Washington Court House (WCH) Councilman, at the Wilmington Charter Public Meeting held at the Murphy Theatre on November 11, 2025. Blair, a two-term councilman and Air Force Veteran, spoke about WCH's Charter and gave insight into Wilmington's Charter discussions.

Blair focused on the importance of the Charter setup, stating, "[The] setup is so critical. It's so important to have an eclectic group of people on the Charter Commission, and to ensure a timely method of having a charter review takes place regularly." He also emphasized the need for a master plan for the city and transparency.

During the meeting, Blair stated, "Educate your citizens as much as possible about your desire to become a Charter City. They should see the benefits of self-rule, rather than depending on state regulations to govern them." He shared that WCH's Charter was signed by “pretty much [a] fifty-fifty” mixture of Republicans and Democrats.

Blair also addressed rumors that WCH was considering a return to a mayor-led form of government. He stated, "There's no concerted, organized effort to get a mayor." Blair defended their current form, stating, “To me, the advantage [of] the city manager... is you don't have to worry about a mayor every four years… I think it would break up the continuity that there is with the city manager." Bruce Saunders, Chairman of the Clinton County Trails Coalition and Recreation Representative on the Charter Steering Committee, stated, “That’s the problem with [Wilmington’s] form of government. When you get a new mayor, he hires all his people, and they have to learn the jobs anew, and that can happen up to every four years, so you don’t have any long-term city plan to follow, but you keep changing everybody in the administration.”

Residents also participated in workshops, discussing Wilmington’s potential charter. They discussed term length, term limits, elections, partisanship, and more.

To learn more or watch previous meetings, visit wilmingtoncharter.com.