Commission adopts 2-minute pro/con debate rule; Pickett's contract/grant amendment draft fails to advance

The Charter Review Commission on April 2025 set a formal debate procedure for upcoming amendment discussions and considered but did not advance a proposed charter amendment drafted by Commissioner Fisher Pickett.

A motion (moved by Commissioner Stauffer) to set debate rules passed after a short vote. The adopted format gives each speaker two minutes, alternates between pro and con speakers, and allows one round of statements per speaker. A subsequent amendment to that procedure to permit one additional follow-up question failed by roll-call: 7 in favor, 8 opposed. The commission recorded that the follow-up-question amendment did not pass.

Separately, Commissioner Pickett presented a draft resolution and proposed new charter text described as a new Section 9.8, "Contract, grant and loan management," and asked the commission to consider advancing the draft according to the commission rules (stage 1/2 under the bylaws). Pickett read the draft and moved that the commission adopt the attached resolution and add the proposed Section 9.8 to Article 9 for consideration. The chair asked for a second; no member seconded the motion and the motion therefore failed for lack of a second. Commissioners discussed that the item remains at "step 1" (notice/draft stage) and may be placed on a subsequent agenda if the mover seeks to do so.

Ending: The commission set debate procedure for future amendment discussion and declined to advance Pickett's draft amendment without a second; Pickett said he would request placement at a subsequent meeting per the bylaws if he wished to continue the proposal through stage 2.