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 purely technical edits from substantive changes. "The appointmentreappointment process has become a circus and it can be a disadvantage in attempting to recruit the best and the brightest to serve in the city," Mayor Frey said, arguing politicized confirmations can deter applicants.

Assistant City Attorney Neff walked commissioners through the draft's comment "bubbles," identifying a set of largely technical corrections — typographical fixes, cross‑reference updates, and removal of an outdated civil service funding provision — and the optional language in Article 7 that would alter which department heads are subject to confirmation. Neff noted the draft uses a proposed effective date and reminded the commission that the law's default effective date is 30 days after the election unless a different date is specified.

Commissioners debated process and substance. Several members said technical edits should proceed but substantive changes to appointment and confirmation authority deserve separate, clearer treatment on the ballot and more public input. Others said confirmation hearings are an important public accountability checkpoint and that some public‑facing or high‑spend departments warrant council review.

On motions amending the draft, the commission approved adding the Department of Public Works director to the confirmation list by roll call, 9 ayes to 3 nays. Later the commission similarly approved adding the CPED director, also by 9–3. A motion to add the Regulatory Services director was moved and seconded but the meeting recessed for captioning issues before that vote was completed; the Regulatory Services motion remained pending when the break was called.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to suspend rules to allow elected officials to speak: passed (12 ayes). - Motion to add Department of Public Works director to confirmation list: passed (9 ayes, 3 nays). - Motion to add CPED director to confirmation list: passed (9 ayes, 3 nays). - Motion to add Regulatory Services director to confirmation list: moved and seconded; vote postponed by recess.

What happens next

Chair Ginder said he will ask the city attorney to draft language that separates technical edits from substantive confirmation changes so commissioners and the public can see distinct options at the next regular meeting. Commissioners will have opportunities to move amendments when the commission returns to the package and before any decision about ballot placement.

The meeting also included multiple technical edits identified by the city attorney — corrections to cross references, restoration of an omitted word in the Civil Rights Commission section, removal of an outdated civil service funding clause and clarification of effective‑date language. Commissioners repeatedly emphasized the intention to return to the question of which department heads should be subject to council confirmation and the need to present that question on the ballot clearly and transparently.

The commission recessed due to captioning problems before resolving every pending amendment; several items remain to be scheduled for a future vote.