The city is embarking on its once-a-decade examination of the city charter, to see what should change. Aldermen began the process by setting a couple of deadlines.
The city’s charter covers basic principles of city government, like the size of the Board of Aldermen, or whether school board members should be elected or appointed.
Every ten years the city is required to put together a commission to examine the charter and make revision suggestions to the Board of Aldermen. The board then can decide to put the revisions on the ballot, for popular vote.
On Jan. 19, the Board of Aldermen accepted a request to form a charter review commission and sent the matter to committee. On Monday evening, the request landed in front of the Aldermanic Affairs Committee, which made some decisions about how to form the commission. The committee decided that aldermen wishing to recommend commission members should submit names and resumes by March 12. Charter revision ideas should also be submitted by aldermen at that time.
Neither of these deadlines are enshrined in city statutes. They are suggested deadlines intended to speed up the creation of the commission. Aldermen are on a tight deadline since they are trying to have the commission’s work complete by elections in November, so that people can vote on suggested changes.
Monday’s meeting included a briefing by city Corporation Counsel Victor Bolden on the process of commission reform.
The Aldermanic Affairs Committee will meet again on March 16 at 6 p.m. to continue its discussion and likely vote to approve the creation of the commission. The goal is to have a proposal ready for vote by the full Board of Aldermen on April 5. That proposal would ideally create the commission and name its members at once.
RUSH, RUSH JOHN'S AGENDA THROUGH, JAMB HEALTH CARE DOWN THE COUNTRIES THROAT BEFORE THE AUGUST BREAK, FASTER EVEN FASTER THE ELSE THE VOTERS WILL FIND OUT. HUGE MARATHON RACE TO FORCE JOHN'S AGENDA, DON'T STOP TO CATCH A BREATH. CRITICAL LIFE THREATENING DECISIONS, PLEASE MOVE!