Cedar Rapids Charter Review Commission seeks input on city’s governing document

Panel hosting March 9 forum, accepting feedback by email

Mar. 4, 2022 2:43 pm

Cedar Rapids City Hall. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

CEDAR RAPIDS — The commission doing a once-a-decade review of Cedar Rapids’ charter is seeking public input on the governing document.

The Charter Review Commission will host a public forum from 5 to 6:30 p.m. March 9 in Time Check Hall at City Services Center, 500 15th Ave. SW, where the document can be reviewed. The public also may submit comments via email to CharterReview@cedar-rapids.org or at https://www.cedar-rapids.org/local_government/city_boards_and_commissions/charter_review_commission.php.

The commission is sending a letter to stakeholders including neighborhood associations, nonprofits, local businesses and the Linn County Board of Supervisors seeking feedback before March 16. The letter invites these stakeholders to “share ideas or feedback you may have regarding how the Home Rule Charter serves you or the organization you represent.”

The panel is made up of nine members, who were appointed by the City Council. The commission will review the existing charter and may recommend amendments to the council.

At the commission’s Tuesday meeting, chair Gary Streit divided members into three work groups of three, assigning each certain sections of the charter to focus their review. The assignments are as follows:

Group 1: Preamble; Article I—Powers of the City; Article II—City Council (Amy Stevenson, Mary Kay McGrath, Gary Streit)

Group 2: Article III — Nominations and Elections; Article IV—City Manager (Monica Vernon, Dave Lodge, Monica Vallejo)

Group 3: Article V — Departments, Office, and Agencies; Article VI — Conflicts of Interest, Board of Ethics; Article VII — Charter Review and Amendments (James Klein, Jim Sherman, Mugisha Gloire)

The charter was last amended in 2011 after Cedar Rapids voters opted for a home rule charter in June 2005 — establishing the city’s council-manager form of government. It also outlines the elections and nominations process and the powers of the city and its top officials.