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Maplewood to explore charter review advisory body; council weighs membership and scope
Summary
Council considered creating a charter-review advisory body to examine the city charter and related ordinances, discussed committee size and composition, and asked staff to propose a structure and timeline.
Maplewood councilmembers on June 20 discussed forming a charter-review advisory body to examine the city s charter, its interaction with the code, and topics such as petition timing and publication of the code.
The conversation focused on scope, membership and process. Councilmembers referenced Webster Groves s a template, where a charter review took more than a year and placed amendments on the ballot. Participants suggested the advisory body should be diverse and include a mix of longtime residents, younger residents and council members, and debated whether to appoint outside counsel or use in-house resources.
Councilmembers noted recurring issues that a review could address, such as the city s requirement for earlier petition deadlines tied to a primary election and language in criminal ordinances that may be inconsistent with federal law. Staff said parts of the charter reference code publication and compensation formulas; members asked staff to verify those provisions and to return with clearer language and recommended committee size.
Several councilmembers supported a broader review with specific assignments, and one suggested including a youth member. No formal decision was made on membership or timing; staff will return with a proposed scope, recommended appointments and an anticipated timeline.
