Commission weighs town halls, legal review and Feb. 13 deadline to put charter on May ballot

At the Dec. 17 meeting the Willow Park Home Rule Charter Commission focused part of its discussion on timeline and public outreach necessary to put the proposed charter before voters.

Chair told commissioners the commission’s target was to submit the draft charter to the city council at its Jan. 13 meeting but noted that legal review remained outstanding. "We may identify a few more changes tonight," the Chair said, but added that the city attorney's legal review is needed to confirm whether separate propositions are feasible.

Commissioners debated several town-hall dates. Some members favored a Jan. 8 town hall — the day after their next meeting — to solicit more public input before a council submission; others argued a town hall after ballot materials are mailed would let voters review the full text. Chair emphasized practical constraints: Feb. 13 is the statutory date to order an election for May and ballot language may need to be finalized before that call.

The commission asked staff to post compiled town-hall questions and answers and to include a submission form so citizens can continue to ask questions online. Commissioners also tentatively agreed to schedule an additional meeting on Jan. 14 if required and to revisit the need for that meeting at the Jan. 7 session.

Chair said staff would distribute minutes and take action items to incorporate edits and confirm whether the charter could be submitted on the desired schedule once the city attorney completes review.