By RAUL GARCIA JR | Lansing News Wire
The task to revise the City of Lansing’s City Charter is estimated to take three years to complete. It would be the first time in more than 40 years that changes would be made to the document since it was originally adopted in 1978.
In last year’s November election, Lansing voters elected to select nine commissioners to review and lead the effort in revising the city charter.
On May 7, voters will be asked to fill the nine seats that will make up the Lansing Charter Revision Commission.
Recently, thirty-six Lansing residents applied to put their name on the ballot and will seek voter approval to join the nine member commission.
Among the names who filed to put their name on the ballot are: Julie Vandenboom, Jody Washington, Nicklas W. Zande, Randy Dykhuis, Heath B. Lowry, Michele K. Fickes, Ted O’Dell, Stephen Purchase, Mitch Rice, Lori Adams Simon, Ben Dowd, Joan Bauer, Corwin Smidt, Muhammad A. Qawwee II, Elizabeth Driscoll Boyd, Jazmin Anderson, Monte D. Jackson II, Jesse Lasorda, Tim Knowlton, Simon Terhaar, Samuel Klahn, Ross Yednock, Derek Melot, Britt Houze, Brian Jeffries, Dedria Humphries Barker, Layna Anderson, Jason Wilkes, Miranda Swartz, Erica Lynn, Justin Sheehan, Jerry Norris, Keith Williams, Guillermo Z. Lopez, Douglas VanBuren Mulkey, and Stan S. Shuck.
Over the years, voters had voted against the charter revision. It was not passed in 1987, 1999, and 2011.
The commission will have the power to change the City Charter but will have to be voted on for approval. The commission will have a three-year time limit to work on any proposed revisions.
Tanya Garcia