WARREN - Council President Robert Marchese's proposed plan of action for the next two-year Council term includes creating a citizen study group to examine a charter form of government for Warren.

Marchese said he plans to detail his two-year plan at a Dec. 15 reorganizational meeting. It includes creating a charter government ad hoc committee that would report its findings to Council by May 1.

A petition to place the charter issue on the March 2003 primary ballot failed and Councilman Al Novak, D-2nd, resurrected the idea by introducing legislation to start the charter process two years ago. However, it never made it beyond first reading.

Novak said he still supports the idea and incoming council members Eddie Colbert, 7th ward, and Dan Sferra, at-large, previously indicated that they also would favor a change in the way the city operates.

The city operates as a statutory form of government, under the laws outlined in the Ohio Revised Code in matters such as building codes, board appointments and hiring decisions.

But under a charter form of government, Warren would have more freedom to determine its laws. It could adopt nonpartisan city elections, place some officials - such as the law director and auditor - under the mayor, or eliminate the mayor in favor of a city manager.

Other items on Marchese's plan of action include developing a one-stop building proposal for city operations; revisiting the city park utilization plan completed in 2003 to determine and implement options; creating a regular meeting process with each of the townships that abut the city to discuss joint services and creating JEDDS; and strengthening Council's relationship with the school district.

Marchese also said he is seeking private funds to offer an in-service training session for Council before March 1. He said the training can include everything from how a budget is built to grant writing.

And while he plans to create new subcommittees to work with neighborhood groups, Packard Music Hall and Main Street Warren, he said he wants to elevate the strategic plan subcommittee to a full committee and combine the traffic and safety committee with the police and fire committee to free up a council member to head it.

Marchese said a more immediate concern of his will be addressed Wednesday during a 6 p.m. meeting on youth recreational needs. He said residents have approached him in recent months about creating a database of youth recreational opportunities and their locations.

''In these tough economic times, not everyone can afford to join the Y,'' Marchese said.

He said representatives from the schools, social service agencies and urban development entities have been invited to attend. He said it is his hope that all of those representatives will work together to create the database, which will be published in some form that is accessible to everyone.

The second piece of the youth recreational puzzle is coordinating transportation services for the children to take advantage of the recreational opportunities, he said. Marchese suggested applying for a Wean Foundation grant to purchase vehicles specifically for that purpose, or asking neighborhood organizations to assist with transporting children to various locations.

Marchese said the third step would be creating a recreation center by either working with the YMCA or YWCA, or building its own like Niles did. He said the recreation center idea is part of the city's strategic plan and is more of a long-term goal, but he thinks the first two steps can be accomplished before summer break.

"Council needs to be part of this recreation conversation. If we don't give the kids something to do, we will be dealing with the aftermath in the form of crime and urban flight," Marchese said.

mkosinski@tribtoday.com