2-13-23 HandoutNational Civic League, Guide for Charter Commissions
Commission Membership Opportunities for direct citizen involvement in local
government often garner a healthy amount of attention. While citizen involvement
in committees, advisory groups, public hearings and the like is a significant and
valuable part of local government operations, membership on a charter
commission offers an uncommon opportunity for public service to one's
community. Participation in the charter process is citizen involvement at a higher
level and with greater potential impact. A charter commission is a body
authorized by law and established for the single purpose of drafting and
submitting to the voters a newly created local government charter or revisions to
an existing charter. The appointment of this group of individuals, typically
between 15-20 registered voters, is often governed by laws and regulations that
specifically deal with charter creation and revision. For example, in some cases
the commission members might be required to be appointed by the mayor. In
other cases, it may be the council that appoints the members. In still other
situations, these individuals are elected by the voters. In any case, this
independent commission of citizens is empowered to organize its review within
the assigned scope and establish its schedule in order to facilitate its study of the
charter and certain aspects of the government. Given the importance of the
commission's task, the membership of the charter commission is worthy of
careful consideration. Individuals chosen to serve on the commission have a
special opportunity for local statesmanship. If voters ultimately approve the work
of the commission, the efforts of this group will have lasting impact on the future
of the community and the local government. Therefore, selection of the
individuals to serve in the charter process is a crucial decision. All participants
should be eager to work hard and willing to share their talents and expertise. It is
important to understand that participants bring with them unique value systems,
biases, differing opinions on what "good government" is, good and bad fife
experiences living in different communities, and (in some cases) personal
agendas. As a result, deeply -held beliefs and viewpoints set the stage for
complex committee dynamics, passionate discussions, and heated debates. At
the heart of this process is the active and focused engagement of a diverse and
representative group of community members. Diversity is important for several
reasons. The involvement of diverse groups and perspectives will not only
contribute to a better final product, but also lend credibility to the validity of the
final outcome. Therefore, no group should be left out. All segments of the
community should be represented and no one should be excluded based on
race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation,
gender expression, age, height, weight, disability status, veteran status, military
obligations or marital status. When the commission is composed of community
residents who are not involved in day-to-day governmental operations, the
commission is able to be detached, objective and impartial. The most effective
charter commissions are not dominated by lawyers, scholars, and accountants,
but made up of civic -minded, intelligent lay people with a common-sense
approach to things. The members should a) be in touch with the perspectives
present in the community; b) command respect from local residents; and c)
bolster the confidence of citizens in the process and the work of the commission.
Special mention should be made about the role of local elected officials. While in
many cases the mayor and/or council plays a role in the appointment of
commission members, the involvement of elected officials should end at that
point. The charter process functions best when it is rooted in citizen involvement
rather than one influenced (intentionally or unintentionally) by political officials
directly serving as members. In some cases, the commission's recommendations
go back to the council, which has the authority to decide whether the proposal
will go to the people for a vote or may determine the final language of proposals.
Still, the commission should do its work independently and give the council and
the voters its best thinking about charter change.
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