Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Charter Procedures topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Charter Commission approves procedural changes on notice, minutes and secretarial services; sets deadlines for follow-up language
Summary
The commission approved several procedural charter changes covering meeting notice, secretarial services, timing for board rule approval, and expense reimbursement and directed staff to return with detailed reappointment language.
The Lansing Charter Commission on April 22 approved several procedural amendments to Article V that govern boards and commissions, including how meetings are published and who may provide secretarial services.
Kristen, the commission’s legal counsel, reviewed a packet of proposed changes and the commission debated and approved multiple edits intended to align the charter with practice and state open-meeting requirements.
Key votes and outcomes at the meeting:
- The commission adopted the agenda at the start of the meeting (motion moved and supported; outcome: adopted).
- The commission amended Section 5‑105.1 to allow a board to select officers without requiring the board secretary specifically to perform minute‑taking, and clarified that the city may supply secretarial services under Section 5‑106.6. The motion — “amend five‑105.1 to insert a period after officers and delete the remaining part of that sentence” — was moved, supported and passed.
- The commission revised meeting‑notice language to require posting on the city website and other means determined by the city for broad dissemination; the motion passed.
- The commission adjusted the rules-approval timetable so a board’s rules become effective at the conclusion of the next regularly scheduled council meeting unless Council directs otherwise; the motion passed unanimously.
- The commission directed counsel to use Open Meetings Act timeframes for minutes availability (staff noted the Act requires prompt availability of draft minutes and the group agreed to post approved minutes within five business days after approval; draft minutes would be available per the Act’s timeframe). Counsel agreed to return with specific text reflecting the Act’s deadlines.
- The commission approved language clarifying that board members serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses through the budget or by council approval.
- A correction for the Board of Water and Light provisions was agreed: the commission restored the language specifying the board appoint its own secretary (correction adopted without objection).
- The commission voted to retain existing language requiring the city engineer and the director (not the deputy) to be registered professional engineers of the State of Michigan.
Most motions were moved and supported by unidentified commissioners on the record; votes were recorded by voice as “aye” with no roll-call tallies shown in the transcript.
Commissioners asked staff to return with precise drafting on minutes timelines (to reflect the Open Meetings Act) and to draft a clearer reappointment process for appointed boards (see separate article on term limits and reappointments).
