Somerset —

Somerset voters will not decide whether to change the form of city government at the November 2 general election. “There’s no chance of getting it on the ballot for the fall election,” said Stephen B. Kelley Jr., the outgoing city councilor who advocates a city manager form of government. He earlier expressed hope that city voters would be able to decide in Nove-mber if they want to em-brace a city manager form of government like 19 other cities in Ken-tucky. It would take about 700 signa-tures on a petition to get a change-of-government question on the ballot. To vote on the issue in November, all petition processes would have to be completed and filed by 4 p.m. August 10. “The petition drive hasn’t even started,” Kelley said this week. He sidestepped a question whether he will lead a petition effort as he earlier indicated. “I have talked with groups ... I want people to think about it ... I want people to think outside the box,” said Kelley “I stlll have my political aspirations ... I don’t want to make people angry.” A two-term city councilman, Kelley, who finished a strong second during the GOP primary contest for judge-executive, has said he will definitely run for judge-executive four years down the road. “I want to serve as county judge-executive,” he emphasized. By being a candidate for judge-executive, Kelley will vacate his seat on city council at the end of the year. Kelley has tossed around the idea of a write-in campaign for judge-executive this fall. Recently, although he indicates no final decision has been made, Kelley seems to be looking more as an on-the-ballot candidate at the next local election in 2014. Obviously displeased with the role of councilors in city government, Kelley claims very little is getting done with the mayor-council form of government in Somerset. He points out that most powers in a mayor-council government are vested in the mayor and councilors have limited authority to accomplish anything. A city manager form of government is made up of a mayor and four commissioners who together make up a board of commissioners. The mayor is a full-functioning member of the legislative body and has only limited responsibilities and authorities as mayor. The board of commissioners is required by law to establish an office of city manager who carries out most administrative duties of the city. Somerset’s current government is headed by a mayor with broad powers. The city is divided into 12 wards with a councilor from each ward. All are elected citywide.