Charter Commission approves multiple Article 4 changes, keeps boards at eight members

The Lansing Charter Commission on March 25 approved a series of charter amendments and procedural clarifications for Article 4 and related sections, acting on attorney recommendations and multiple motions from commissioners.

Why it matters: The adopted edits clarify administrative duties, reporting language and departmental responsibilities in the charter. One high‑profile change removed the phrases “diversity” and “inclusion” from the mayor’s annual report provision and replaced them with a requirement that the mayor make “an annual report on the status of initiatives and programs of the city that promote opportunity for all employees.” Commissioners discussed the legal risk tied to federal litigation over DEI language and considered whether to keep policy language in the charter or leave it to ordinance.

Key outcomes and votes at the March 25 meeting included several formal approvals: the commission adopted new language on…