Worcester Charter Review

Context

Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee discussion of the City Charter, including a City Manager communication on a process to establish a charter review commission. A committee hearing was held August 17, 2026 with resident testimony.

Status

On 2026-09-08 the Council placed the committee reports (on charter-hearing advertisements and the City Manager's commission-process letter) on file and adopted committee orders asking the City Clerk and City Solicitor for reports on charter changes possible without a Charter Review Commission, on the Council's role in ordinance changes, on resident testimony from August 17, and on the process to put a non-binding question on the local-election ballot. Reports are pending.

Log

• 2026-08-17 - Municipal and Legislative Operations Committee - Hearing: Solicitor and Clerk explained charter-change routes; 16 residents spoke (15 for a review, 1 against); Rosen resolution and Bergman amendment not put; matter held 3-0; four report orders; related communications filed 3-0.
• 2026-09-08 - City Council — Committee reports placed on file 11-0; four report orders (charter changes without a commission, Council's role in ordinances, August 17 testimony, non-binding ballot question) adopted 11-0.
• 2026-07-21 - City Council — Items 14b and 14c: City Clerk communications on options for changing the Charter and on advertising the 2026-08-17 Municipal and Legislative Operations meeting referred to that committee.