The Charter Review Committee voted to adopt substitute language setting a schedule for the annual budget: the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year will be presented to the full commission at the first meeting of the ninth month following the beginning of the fiscal year and adopted or modified at the first meeting of the eleventh month following the beginning of the fiscal year. The motion requires that public meetings be held prior to adoption.

The substitute was offered to create a timing rule that is resilient to any future change in the city’s fiscal‑year start date (the motion uses numbered months after the start of the fiscal year rather than fixed calendar months). Committee members and consultants said presenting a proposed budget nine months after the fiscal year begins is a common practice because departmental preparations and internal hearings typically take place during the first half of the fiscal year; approving or modifying the proposed budget by the eleventh month gives the commission time to deliberate before the fiscal year end.

The committee adopted the substitute motion; the clerk recorded the vote and the chair announced the motion carried with Miss Bacchus (identified in the transcript as "Miss Bekes" in one place) voting no. The committee also discussed state filing and audit timeframes: counsel and staff noted budget materials are typically submitted to state authorities after approval and that some reporting deadlines (for example, audits) are measured relative to the close of the fiscal year.

What’s next: staff and counsel will align any charter language with existing state filing and audit timelines and the Carl Vinson Institute will incorporate the adopted timing language into draft charter text for review at the next meeting.