Charter Commission advances draft amendments, restores council confirmation for Public Works and CPED

The Charter Commission on April 9 advanced a consolidated draft of proposed charter changes and, after extended debate, voted to restore City Council confirmation for the Department of Public Works director and the Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) director.

Chair Peter Ginder opened the special meeting saying the commission’s goal was to produce a single, finalized document that reflects attorney and work‑group edits so commissioners can more easily decide what to place on the ballot. "My name is Peter Ginder, and I am the chair of this commission," he told the room before asking the clerk to call the roll.

The meeting suspended its usual rules to hear elected officials. A council member told commissioners the change being labeled "technical" is in fact "a substantive shift" that would reduce transparency and concentrate authority by shrinking the number of department heads subject to council confirmation. Mayor Jacob Frey, who identified himself during the meeting, urged commissioners to separate…