Panel gets to work on city charter

A commission assigned to help clarify Richmond's city charter is starting on issues that created sparks between City Council and then-Mayor L. Douglas Wilder.

The Charter Review Commission will look first at concerns involving the city attorney and chief administrative officer, along with who has the authority to hire and fire certain employees.

The latter is the subject of an appeal brought by Wilder to the Virginia Supreme Court. Mayor Dwight C. Jones has not said whether he'll allow the case to continue.

A commission memo summarizes flaws with the charter that have surfaced since the city switched to an elected-mayor form of government, as well as potential fixes. Highlights include:

The commission is encouraging residents to submit their own ideas for possible charter changes.

"In any of these areas, we may choose to do nothing or we may choose to do a lot," said Chairman John G. Douglass, dean of the University of Richmond School of Law.

The commission, established last year by the council, is expected to present its recommendations this fall so that charter changes can be forwarded to the General Assembly for approval next year.

The council and Wilder each appointed four commission members. Those members then tapped Douglass as a ninth member and chairman.

Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or .