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Commission debates electing Lansing city attorney, adopts term and staggering changes
Summary
After approving Article 1, the commission moved into Article 2 and approved edits on term lengths and stagger removal timing but did not decide whether to make the city attorney an elected office, asking counsel for alternative language to enhance independence.
During its Dec. 17 session the Lansing Charter Commission spent substantial time on Article 2 (Officers and Elections). Attorney Matt Cross advised the panel that the Home Rule City Act permits municipalities to define elective officers broadly — including the possibility of an elected city attorney — but he found no Michigan examples of that model.
Commissioner White urged an elected city attorney as a way to secure independent legal advice to the public interest; other commissioners objected, worried about politicizing the office, the difficulty of removing an elected attorney who performs poorly, and potential conflicts between branches of local government. Senators and staff pointed out alternatives such as giving council limited authority to hire outside counsel in specific circumstances, expanding council’s role in vetting appointments, or specifying removal procedures with guardrails.
On other points the commission adopted attorney‑recommended language to clarify terms of office: elective officers will serve four‑year terms beginning at noon on Jan. 1 after a regular general election, and the commission approved phasing out staggered terms with a transition beginning in 2027 and full four‑year terms by 2029. Counsel will return with targeted drafts that (a) offer options to increase the city attorney’s independence without creating unworkable removal barriers, and (b) tighten 'default to the city' language so ineligibility for office can be applied consistently if someone is in default at any time.
The commission deferred final action on city attorney selection and asked for further legal drafting and comparative examples.
