- Earlier this year, the East Lansing City Council approved the formation of a Charter Review Committee.
- At Tuesday's council meeting continued discussions about the formation of the committee, and named recommendations for members of the committee.
- Video shows the discussions of the council, and what comes next in the process.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
The long-awaited Charter Review Committee is one step closer to being reality after the city council approved Mayor George Brookover's suggestions for committee members during their Tuesday night meeting.
Back in May, the council moved forward with the formation of the committee. Comprised of seven members, the committee will review the city's charter for necessary updates—a process that hasn't been done for nearly three decades.
Ahead of the council's scheduled meeting on July 9, which was cancelled due to severe weather, Mayor George Brookover made his recommendations for candidates to sit on the committee, and two alternates, in a memo to the council.
Those candidates are Jonathan Forman, Diane Goddeeris, Jeffrey Hank, Dr. Veronica Wilkerson-Johnson, Dr. Ruben Martinez, Jill Rhode, and Pam Weil. Brookover's two alternates were Dale Kruithoff and Lynn Richardson.
At Tuesday's meeting, the council voted to approve Brookover's recommendations, with Councilmember Dana Watson voting no, mentioning her desire to wait to name alternates until the committee has officially been seated.
"I wanted to approve the seven, but I don't want to approve the alternates," Watson said. "I think the group should choose after the seven are seated."
Watson also says she wishes the council could be a bit more clear with requirements for committees in the future, as some applicants didn't make the cut because they were already involved with other boards and commissions in the city.
"The people that applied and didn't make it on the lists, or people questioned whether or not they should be considered because they are already serving, it doesn't hit well for folks that are committed to volunteering somewhere," Watson said.
According to the establishing resolution for the committee, their first meeting will take place within the next two weeks.
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