DEPARTMENT: City Manager
DEPARTMENT HEAD: John Peterek
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-wide
SUBJECT:
Charter Review Commission
SUMMARY:
Charter Review Commission Chair Jeffery Webster will brief the Governance Committee on the status of the commission's work, including public input process and discussions that have taken place regarding four policy areas.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2014 the Mayor and City Council authorized by Ordinance a Charter Review Commission (CRC) to review the City of San Antonio's Charter for any recommended changes in order to meet the needs of the citizens. The CRC is made up of 13 individuals: seven community members, two former elected city officials, one former City employee, and three individuals with expertise in municipal law, human resources management, and municipal finance. The last Charter election was held in May 2015. In that election, voters approved: a requirement for any future streetcar or light-rail plan to have voter approval; an annual salary for councilmembers; a requirement of a special election for council vacancies with more than 120 days in a term; and removal of outdated or superseded language in the Charter.
The CRC was reactivated in December 2016 to discuss potential further amendments to the Charter. In order to receive input from residents, the CRC held three public hearings on May 24, June 7, and June 14, 2017. The hearings were publicized through the City's media channels, The Rivard Report, and San Antonio Express-News. Hearings were also live streamed, with the video archived online. In total, 66 citizens spoke during the hearings to voice their comments and concerns. Citizens were also able to submit comments and suggested amendments in writing. In July 2017, Mayor Ron Nirenberg asked the Commission to continue developing potential recommendations on a timeline to seek voter approval in 2018.
ISSUE:
Upon reviewing all issues raised in the initial public comment period, the C...
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