Residents propose Chesterfield ‘Resident Bill of Rights’; council to refer draft to F&A committee

During the communications and petitions section of the meeting, resident Kelly Understall urged the council to adopt a “Resident Bill of Rights” to strengthen trust, transparency and timely responses from city government. Understall said residents deserve “clear, accurate, and timely information about city policies, projects, and decisions free from misinformation or political gain.”

Patty Vietmeyer then read the proposed resolution aloud; the document framed seven rights including truthful information, open government, timely responses to public records requests, equal treatment, and public accountability. Vietmeyer closed by asking the council to adopt the resolution as a guiding framework for elected officials, staff and boards.

Councilmembers expressed support for the concept and directed that the draft be forwarded to the Finance & Administration (F&A) committee for review. One councilmember said the F&A committee should examine the proposal and return recommendations. The council did not vote to adopt the measure that night; the action taken was a referral to committee for further consideration.

Council and staff said referring the draft to F&A will allow committee members to review possible implementation steps, legal considerations and any budgetary implications before the council considers formal adoption.