Charter committee recommends revised ballot language on boards and commissions; council agrees to proceed

The Charter Review Committee recommended the council consider an amended ballot measure to change Charter Section 1.30 (boards and commissions). The measure is a rework of a question that failed narrowly in 2024 and, according to committee discussion, aims to grant council greater flexibility to set terms and appointment criteria by ordinance while leaving charter‑level removal procedures unchanged.

Deputy City Manager Chris Mascheck summarized the committee’s deliberations and said staff believe it is possible to achieve the boards‑and‑commissions assessment recommendations without changing the charter removal language that concerned some voters last year. The committee also noted several other community suggestions — fiscal notes for ballot measures, authority to use dedicated funds for general purposes during emergencies, and renter‑protection ideas — but flagged that those items did not require charter amendments and therefore are out of the charter committee’s scope.

Council conducted an informal straw poll and indicated support for staff to draft a proposed amendment to Section 1.30 for council consideration; council members said polling on the issue could be considered but cautioned against creating additional polling fatigue given the larger ballot and budget conversations underway.

Staff will bring language back to council for review and indicated that any ordinance changes implementing term flexibility would still require future council ordinance and public hearings once the charter change (if adopted by voters) is in place.