Medford City Council approves amended charter draft, restores mayor as voting school committee member and sets first review at five years

The Medford City Council voted 6-1 on April 15 to approve an amended draft city charter and send it to Mayor Bridal Lengo Kern for possible submission to the state legislature, approving changes that include restoring the mayor as a voting member (not chair) of the school committee and moving the first charter review to within five years instead of 10.

The vote advances a proposed charter that, if the mayor submits it to the Legislature and the Legislature approves it in time, would appear on the November 4, 2025 municipal ballot for voters to accept or reject. Councilors debated multiple late amendments at a special meeting called to consider a mayoral-submitted, council-amended draft.

Why it matters: The charter rewrite alters how Medford’s local government would allocate power between the mayor, the council and the school committee, and changes the schedule and composition of future charter review committees. Those structural changes must still be approved by the mayor and the state before reaching voters.

Council action and votes

- Motion to approve amended charter and forward to the mayor: Motion by Councilor Lazaro, seconded by Councilor Scarpelli. Roll-call: Councilor Callaghan — Yes; Vice President Collins — No; Councilor Lazaro — Yes; Councilor Lemming — Yes; Councilor Scarpelli — Yes; Councilor Singh — Yes; President Baerz — Yes. Tally: 6 yes, 1 no. Outcome: approved and forwarded to the mayor.

- Motion to restore the mayor as a voting (but not chair) member of the school committee: Motion by Councilor Lazaro, seconded by Councilor Scarpelli. Roll-call: Councilor Callaghan — Yes; Vice President Collins — No; Councilor Lazaro — Yes; Councilor Lemming — No; Councilor Scarpelli — Yes; Councilor Singh — Yes; President Baerz — Yes. Tally: 5 yes, 2 no. Outcome: passed.

- Motion to set the first mandatory charter review within five years (and every 10 years thereafter):…