Charter commission approves multiple Article 5 revisions after long debate over appointments, term limits and transparency

The Lansing Charter Review Commission reviewed and approved a set of proposed revisions to Article 5 of the city charter governing boards and commissions, including language on appointment processes, term limits, and recordkeeping.

The commission approved substitute charter language that would formally create a framework for the Board of Water and Light return-on-equity agreement and moved through multiple Article 5 subsections, including changes to how boards are named and how appointments are handled. The commission also directed staff to return with clarified language on several items, including appointment timelines, public access to applicant lists and potential term-limit wording.

The package of changes drew extended discussion over who should nominate and confirm board members. Commissioner Washington said the current appointment practice gives the mayor broad authority and argued the legislative branch should have more say: "A strong mayor is not a king, we need balance of power." Several commissioners proposed compromise approaches: having ward commissioners nominate candidates to the mayor, publicizing applicant lists, and preserving council confirmation rights.

Kristin Rewa, counsel to the commission, described a version of the return-on-equity language for the Board of Water and Light as a negotiated, attorney-reviewed framework: "This language is language that 3 sets of attorneys have reviewed. It is appropriate to consider their considerations and their input ... the idea is to make sure that the agreement ... continues forth,…