Mayor Zafford announced appointments to a Charter Review Commission “pursuant to section 36 4 of the Municipal Home Rule Law,” naming Vince DeLeonardis as chair and listing 11 other members, and said the panel will evaluate the city charter and may present a proposed revision for the 2026 general election.

The announcement prompted immediate and pointed objections from several council members who said the mayor made the selections unilaterally and questioned whether the commission represents a bipartisan process. Commissioner Cole argued that prior charter reviews have repeatedly examined changes feasible by local law and questioned the need for a new commission; other council members said procedural issues such as term length and tie-breaking could be considered by the commission.

The mayor described the commission’s charge as twofold: first, to evaluate the current charter and recommend revisions that could be implemented by local law; and second, to prepare a draft proposed charter for possible submission to voters at the 2026 general election. The mayor read the list of appointees into the record and said the commission would start by reviewing past work on the charter.

During follow-up remarks, council members exchanged sharp language over how members were selected. One councilor called the appointments “unilateral” and said the process was not bipartisan despite the presence of members from both parties. The mayor and other councilors pushed back, with the mayor saying he had relied on prior input and that appointees were reading previous commission work. A council member urged colleagues to avoid name-calling in deliberations and to keep the conversation professional.

No formal vote on the appointments is recorded in the transcript provided. The mayor said the commission may present a final proposal for consideration by city electors at the 2026 general election. Several council members said they expect the commission to examine procedural items such as term lengths and tie-breaking rules; one councilor suggested longer (four-year) terms might be considered.

The debate continued without a recorded resolution in the provided record; the mayor said the council could move on to the next agenda items.