BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Common Council adopted a resolution to create a 13-member charter review commission.
According to the resolution, the charter is tasked to "examine the current charter, solicit input from the public and stakeholders, and recommend necessary amendments to the City of Buffalo Charter."
The last time a charter review commission established was 1999.
The commission will comprise of 13-voting members, and several city officials will select them.
- Acting Mayor Scanlon - 2 members
- Common Council President - 1 member
- Councilmembers - 9 total, 1 per district
- City Comptroller - 1 member
Representatives from the city law office, city clerk and the council's policy advisor will serve on the commission as non-voting members.
The resolution states that members of the commission must be selected by October 24.
"I think there needs to be more conversation before we put deadlines in place, because we don't really know how this is going to go," said University District councilmember Rasheed N.C. Wyatt. "You all may have been meeting, but the public at large has not heard any conversation."
Wyatt suggested the deadline to select the committee be moved back so there could be more time for the public to apply.
"It seems like this is going to rush, rush, rush, and I don't know what the rush is, because what I do want it to be thorough, and I do want us to have people that can meet the deadline and also participate the entire process."
Majority leader Leah Halton-Pope responded saying that there is a bit of a rush, because the resolution outlined that the commission would begin its work on December 3.
"I'm just reminding people of what was in a resolution that was voted on by our colleagues, not once now, but twice, and that this is when the names are submitted," majority leader Halton-Pope said.
There is, however, a potential hiccup with the appointing of members. Right now the south district council seat remains empty, as Chris Scanlon is filling the role of acting mayor.
It's unclear who, from a legal standpoint, can appoint a member of the commission from the south district.
Another aspect that remains unclear, is who can officially appoint the council president's member.
Lovejoy district councilmember Bryan Bollman is still technically the council president pro tempore and not officially the president, even though he is running the full council meetings.
When the city established a charter commission in 1992, it took 18 months to provide recommendations for charter changes.
According to the resolution passed Tuesday, the common council is giving the commission until July 1, 2025 to produce its recommendations. The resolution also establishes that the commission will meet every 7 years, unless the scheduled year coincides with reapportionment.