Lansing's newly formed Charter Commission has begun the process of reviewing the city’s charter. With nine elected members, the group will assess possible changes and updates to the document that has not been reviewed or rewritten for more than 40 years.
WKAR’s Melorie Begay spoke with Lansing Charter Commission Chair Brian Jeffries about the undertaking.
Interview Highlights
On his thoughts about other commission members
There's a strong desire by the commission to make sure as we move down through this process, that we have an open, transparent process that involves everyone in the community. We're all on that same page.
On possible changes to the charter
I want to come to this with an open mind. I want to listen to other people, to our stakeholders to our employees, and then move off of that, from what I hear. The goal that I have, and I've said this repeatedly, is that I want to make sure that we create a charter that is again, open and transparent, but empowers people.
On whether we'll see big changes to the charter
Are we going to stay with a strong mayor form of government? Or do we go to the council manager form? And I think we're going to start out by just looking at the charter as a whole ... eventually, we will start going through the charter, line by line, doing the updates and then making the changes that would, I think, reflect what the form of government that we're going to have.
Interview Transcript
Melorie Begay: You're a former member of City Council. What brought you back into public service with this commission?
Brian Jeffries: Public service has been a large part of my life. I've served on the county board of commissioners here in Ingham County and also on the board of trustees at Lansing Community College and as a city council member in the city of Lansing. So, I bring that experience to the table. And I was just very interested.
Begay: What do you think about members so far?
Jeffries: Oh, we've got a great group of people. It's a very diverse group, there's a lot of different experiences. There's a strong desire by the commission to make sure as we move down through this process, that we have an open, transparent process that involves everyone in the community. We're all on that same page.
Begay: Is there anything in the charter that is of interest to you, or that you think could see some changes?
Jeffries: I don't have a specific issue that I'm looking at. I want to come to this with an open mind. I want to listen to other people, to our stakeholders to our employees, and then move off of that, from what I hear.
The goal that I have, and I've said this repeatedly, is that I want to make sure that we create a charter that is again, open and transparent, but empowers people.
So if we're moving, for example, a number of issues that have come up during the campaign, one is do we get rid of the at large positions and just do ward council members? Do we change our form of government from a strong mayor to a council-manager form of government? But I think the major driver is going to be what is the committee going to decide in terms of the form of government. Once that is decided, I think a lot of the other stuff will fall in place.
Begay: What kind of approach are you looking to take? I know you alluded to it a little bit, can we expect to see major changes, or will the commission only look to make minor updates and adjustments?
Jeffries: That's great question. And I think what drives that is going to be the decision on are we going to stay with a strong mayor form of government? Or do we go to the council-manager form? And I think we're going to start out by just looking at the charter as a whole. We're going to go, eventually, we will start going through the charter, line by line, doing the updates and then making the changes that would, I think, reflect what the form of government that we're going to have.
Begay: You were endorsed by the Lansing Regional Chamber's political action committee. Other candidates campaigned together to try and combat the influence of "special interest groups." Can you talk about how the commission will listen to city residents and limit the influence of special interests?
Jeffries: I'm not sure in terms of the term special interests. We want all of our all groups, stakeholders in the city of Lansing to participate. We're going to be reaching out to the chamber. They represent business in the area. We hope a lot of the local businesses will come in and talk to us.
The chamber was not the only group that endorsed the slate. It was also, I believe, 13 other local unions we would like labor to come in. We've got unions within the city, our city employees that do the job for the city. It's very important that we listen to them as well.
I don't see anyone, any member on the commission that has been bought and sold by any special interest group. I think all the groups that come to us will be special groups, and we want to listen to everybody. Everybody's invited to the table.
Begay: What do you hope to be able to say or to see out of Lansing's charter by the end of this process?
Jeffries: I think we have to be careful to make sure that we have a document that people understand that people, that we go through a process that has been open and transparent so they can trust us and trust what's in it. And if we do that, I think we can get it passed.
Begay: Brian Jeffries is the Lansing Charter Commission chair, thank you for joining me today.
Jeffries: Thank you, appreciate the opportunity.
