Residents invited to comment on specific items for Charter Review
Published on May 07, 2024
Additional in-person public comment opportunity added to Thursday agenda.
SAN ANTONIO (May 7, 2024) – The City of San Antonio Charter Review Commission (CRC) will hear feedback once more as it prepares its final recommendation to City Council.
This opportunity for in-person public comment will be hosted by the Commission at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 9 at the Central Library (600 Soledad St.) Visit SASpeakUp.com/CharterReviewCommission to leave a comment or sign up to speak at the session. Public comment registration closes at noon online and 15 minutes before the session in person. Residents can also call 3-1-1 (210-207-6000) to leave comments by phone.
The May 9 Commission meeting will include public input only on the items the Commission was charged with reviewing:
- Ethics Officer and Other Ethics Revisions
- Whether the City should be able to appoint an independent ethics auditor with a legal background
- Whether the Ethics Review Board should be autonomous with independent oversight and power to compel testimony, and whether any additional recommendations would strengthen the effectiveness, authority, and/or jurisdiction of the board
- City Council Member Compensation and Term Length
- Whether Mayoral or Mayoral and Council terms should be extended to four years with a limit of two terms, and whether such terms should be staggered
- Whether City Council members should be compensated on indexed terms that more accurately reflect the city’s cost of living and lower barriers to participation in City government
- City Manager Tenure and Compensation
- Whether the City Council should have the authority and discretion to hire, manage, and determine the length of service of the City Manager
- Whether the City Council should determine the compensation of the City Manager so that market and competitive indicators are taken into account
- Council Districts and Redistricting
- Whether an increase in single-member Council districts would appropriately enhance representation for San Antonio residents
- Whether the decennial Council redistricting process should be conducted by an independent, autonomous citizens committee and how such a committee’s membership shall be appointed
- Whether the Charter shall be generally amended to update its language to more accurately reflect current processes, acknowledgments, and roles
- Special Meetings (City Charter, Article II, Section 11)
- Evaluate language that provides for special meetings of the City Council, and how those meetings should differ in purpose, use, and timing from the current policymaking process (Council Consideration Requests)
Every two years, the City Charter can be amended to add new procedures, protocols and policies. The Commission consists of community members with expertise in the areas of municipal law, finance, education, public policy, and community engagement. They are tasked with researching and gathering public input to propose to City Council changes they believe would improve the Charter. The City Council then votes to decide if these amendments make it to the ballot for San Antonio voters.