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The city’s charter study commission is holding its first meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers.

At tonight’s organizational meeting, commissioners will establish a meeting schedule and select a chair and vice-chair, as well as begin drafting bylaws. The group may also discuss whether it will need a budget. Charter study experts Ernest Reock and Kathy Cupano of Rutgers University’s Eagleton Institute may attend, commissioner Randy Thompson said.

The public is invited to tonight’s meeting. Commissioners will open the meeting with a public forum toward the end for attendees to comment or ask questions.

The charter study commissioner [CSC] was approved with 74 percent of city votes on Election Day. Five city residents established candidacy, and all were elected to the commission.

The CSC is charged with scrutinizing the city’s charter and possibly making recommendations. They have nine months to study the form of government, city attorney Fred Raffetto has said. They are permitted by statute to appoint consultants, as well as clerical or other assistants, Raffetto said.

If they do recommend changes or the adoption of a different form of government, the proposed changes will be put to a vote of either the city council or the electorate, depending on the nature of the changes. As long as the commission’s work is done no less than 60 days before the next general election if a citywide vote is required, the question can be placed on that ballot. If not, a special election can be held.

The state statute governing CSCs says the commission must meet no later than 15 days after election results are certified, which was around Nov. 27, Raffetto said at the Nov. 19 council meeting. A majority of members consititutes a quorum at each meeting.

Meeting minutes and schedules are subject to the Open Public Records Act [OPRA], Raffetto said.

Members of the commission serve without compensation but can be reimbursed for some expenses, Raffetto said. The CSC can appoint one or more clerical or professional assistants with reasonable compensation, and can put together a budget to present to the council.

The CSC will not have its own attorney, although Raffetto will be available to answer legal questions, he said.

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[Commission members are pictured above, from left: Randy Thompson, Michelle Maguire, Duanne Small, Rita Marano and Pam Lamberton.]

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