An update on the Charter Assessment Review

CHARTER REVIEW AND REFORM

Pursuant to the unanimously adopted policy order of July 27, 2020, the City Council has begun the formal review process of the city’s Plan E. charter. On September 23, 2020, the Council held a special meeting to discuss the proposed review with a presentation by The Collins Center for Public Management, who outlined the process for a formal charter review.

On January 29, 2021, the City executed a professional services agreement with The Collins Center, with deliverables including 2 memoranda presenting the major options of Forms of Government available to Cambridge, the key differences between these options, and a second memo summarizing the Council’s feedback regarding the current Charter and Form of Government, providing options for pathways the Council might consider moving forward, respectively.

As of March 11, 2021, the Collins Center delivered the draft first memo, which includes background on forms of government in Massachusetts, history of Cambridge’s Charter and potential options for change. During the week of March 15, 2021, the Collins Center team met with each Councillor individually (individual meetings to conclude on 3/19/2021) to discuss the draft first memo, and to hear Councillor’s perspectives and feedback regarding the proposed options.

The next steps for the project will be to draft the second memo, based on the information drawn from the individual discussions and any recommendations that resulted from these conversations. The two drafts will then be provided to the Mayor and City Manager for review. All feedback from the Mayor and City Manager will then be complied into the final versions of the memoranda.

The Collins Center (at the request of the City Manager or Council) will present the final memoranda, as well as answer any questions at a regular meeting of the City Council.