Charter commission trims outdated department list, directs update of organizational chart; public urges new sustainability office and BWL oversight

The Lansing Charter Commission on Feb. 4 voted to delete a long, outdated list of city agencies from Article 4 and directed counsel to update charter references so department names match the city’s current organizational structure.

During public comment residents and community leaders urged the commission to add a Sustainability and Environmental Affairs department and to strengthen oversight of the Lansing Board of Water and Light (BWL). Randy Dykheis and several other speakers asked the commission to enshrine a high‑level sustainability office in the charter so environmental adaptation, emissions mitigation, tree canopy restoration and related public‑health measures have visibility and parity with major departments such as police and fire. Dykheis cited other Michigan cities that have dedicated sustainability offices; Heath Lowry and Nancy Malo voiced similar support in public comment.

Commissioners removed the enumerated agency list that had been carried since 1978 from Section 4.301.3, saying specific departmental names become obsolete as the city reorganizes. The motion to strike the item passed by voice vote; the commission directed counsel to update charter language across Article 4 to match the city’s current table of organization and to return with draft amendments.

The Board of Water and Light was a recurring subject. Several commenters and Commissioners asked whether BWL should be subject to audits by the city’s internal auditor and where BWL should be referenced in the charter. Counsel noted the BWL currently appears in Article 5 (boards and commissions) and that operational and administrative relationships differ from typical city departments. Commissioners asked staff to return with options for placing BWL governance and clarifying audit authority, and to consider whether the charter should create special reporting or audit mechanisms for BWL.

The commission also declined at this meeting to add a new department to the charter without additional detail: commissioners asked members of the public who support a sustainability department to submit proposed organizing language, scope, staffing and cost estimates for review. They said adding a new, charter‑level department would require a fuller policy and budget conversation and could be addressed in later drafts.

The commission also eliminated one obsolete subsection and asked counsel to harmonize department names (for example, updating references to planning to reflect current departmental names). Staff will return with consolidated text that reflects the city’s current table of organization.