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Public commenters urge slowing charter timeline, propose youth voting and two‑gate hiring model
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Summary
During the public-comment period, residents urged the committee to delay a possible 2026 charter ballot to 2028, proposed allowing 16‑year‑olds to vote in school board elections under a charter, raised integrity concerns about city staff behavior, and recommended a two‑gate hiring model for high‑impact roles.
Five members of the public addressed the committee during public comment, raising timing, voting, integrity and hiring‑process concerns.
Julie Moore urged the committee to reconsider placing a charter measure on the 2026 ballot and recommended aiming for a 2028 placement to allow more time to craft the proposals. “If becoming a charter city is the right thing to do correctly, take the time to come up with the right charter proposal and put it on the 2028 ballot,” she said.
Adelberto Aguilera, who identified himself as a Country Lane Condominium resident in Fremont, said some charter cities include provisions that allow 16‑year‑olds to vote in school board elections and suggested the commission consider adding such a provision. “Since Fremont is still in formation, including a provision that allows 16‑year‑olds to vote in school board elections would be more cost‑effective and practical than amending the charter later,” he said.
Sai Nagarajan focused on public trust, alleging that an Economic Development director had characterized advisory commissions as a “rubber stamp.” He urged stronger integrity measures and encouraged student engagement in district surveys. “Is that professional management?” he asked of the director’s conduct.
Vipin Sharma proposed a two‑gate hiring model for high‑impact roles: a technical vetting by professional recruiters and the city manager, followed by strategic interviews by council members to assess fit with community needs. “The first gate is professional checks; the second gate would be strategic, where council conducts one‑on‑one interviews with final candidates,” he said.
Kelly April criticized the charter effort as premised on empowering elected officials and argued that past elected bodies had made poor decisions; April urged caution in assuming that expanding council authority would fix underlying problems.
Staff thanked commenters and said their input would be incorporated into the committee’s draft recommendations and the written materials circulated before the next meeting.
