Green Charter Review Commission Meeting – April 21, 2026

The Green Charter Review Commission met on April 21, 2026 at 5:31 PM to review Articles IX, X, XI, and XII of the City Charter, discuss proposed amendments, and plan future meetings. The commission heard public comment and deliberated on several substantive changes including charter review frequency, recall petition thresholds, law director qualifications, and mayor's absence provisions.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the April 6, 2026 meeting (TMP-5321) unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Gerard Nuja Bauer (1393 Cherry Woodway) commented on the charter review frequency, expressing concern that a mayoral appointment of the commission could create perception of favoritism, and suggested that each mayor should have the opportunity to convene a charter review commission during their term.

Discussion Items

• Schedule Change: The commission agreed to shift the May 18 meeting to May 13, 2026 at 5:30 PM due to scheduling conflicts. Remaining meetings: May 4 for finalizing recommendations, May 13 for voting and optional discussion, with a goal to submit recommendations to council by June 12.
• Article IX – Charter Amendment and Review: Debated changing the charter review frequency from every 7 years to 4 or 5 years. Members leaned toward 5 years, citing rapid governmental and technological changes. Opinion was expressed that 7 years is too long; many comparable cities use 5 years. No vote taken.
• Article X – Initiative, Referendum, Recall: Noted gender references ("his") to be removed. Discussed the 20% voter signature threshold for recall petitions – members considered it appropriately high to prevent frivolous recalls but acknowledged it as a significant hurdle. Clarified that the threshold is based on voters in the last municipal election. No changes adopted at this meeting.
• Article XI – Transitional Provisions: Minor edits discussed (removing "his" references), but retained original historical language as intended.
• Article XII – Miscellaneous Provisions:
  • Competitive bidding: Noted need to clarify design-build options to expedite projects. To be discussed further.
  • Mayor's absence: Debate on defining temporary absence vs. inability to perform duties. Some suggested aligning with council attendance standards (3 consecutive meetings). Others argued for including both absence and inability with a time limit (e.g., 6 weeks). No consensus reached.
  • Law director section: Extensive discussion on whether to rewrite the law director provisions. Views ranged from minor edits (e.g., moving qualifications to a definition) to major rewrite (e.g., making law director appointed, adjusting term limits, or clarifying municipal government experience). Members expressed concern about overwhelming voters with too many changes. Agreed to have Commissioner Duffrin draft proposed language for next meeting.
  • Publication: Suggested consolidating publication requirements into one section of the charter for consistency.
• Brainstorming of Proposed Changes: The commission reviewed a list of potential amendments (e.g., strong mayor-council clarification, mayor absence definition, law director rewrite, competitive bidding, publication consolidation). It was agreed to discuss without voting that evening; formal votes would occur at the May 4 or May 13 meetings. Items not advanced to charter amendments could be included in a separate advisory document to the mayor and council.

Key Outcomes

• Next Meeting: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 5:30 PM. Prior to that, a meeting on May 4, 2026 (if needed) to finalize recommendations.
• Voting Schedule: Formal votes on proposed charter amendments will take place at the May 4 and/or May 13 meetings. The commission will then prepare a final list of recommendations and a separate advisory list for the mayor and council.
• Law Director Rewrite: Commissioner Duffrin will draft a proposal for the May 4 meeting for discussion.
• No decisions made on specific amendments at this meeting; all items remain open for deliberation.