The Charter Review Commission is a group of registered voters of the City of Lakewood tasked with reviewing the Lakewood City Charter and recommending amendments and revisions to City Council. This process takes place every ten years, with the most recent taking place in 2024.
The Commission is made up of nine members: five members appointed by City Council, and four members appointed by the Mayor.
You can read the Charter Review Commission’s 2024 Final Report here.
The commission shall review the charter and within six months after the appointment of its members may recommend to council, by a two-thirds vote of all the members of the commission, revisions and amendments to this charter. Council may submit any proposed amendments recommended by the commission to a vote of the people in the manner provided under this charter and the state Constitution. Amendments shall be in the form provided by council.
Amendments to this charter may be submitted to the registered voters of the city by a two-thirds vote of all councilmembers and, upon petitions signed by 10 percent of the registered voters of the city proposing an amendment, shall be submitted to the voters by council. The submission of a proposed amendment to the registered voters shall be governed by the requirements of Article XVIII, Sections 8 and 9 of the Constitution of the state of Ohio as to the submission of the question of choosing a charter commission; and notice of the proposed amendment may be mailed to the registered voters as provided by the Constitution or notice may be given pursuant to ordinances adopted by council.
If any amendment is approved by a majority of those voting on the amendment, it shall become a part of the charter of the city, except that if two or more inconsistent amendments on the same subject are submitted at the same election and each is approved, only the amendment receiving the largest affirmative vote shall become a part of the charter. A copy of the charter or any amendment shall be certified to the secretary of state within 30 days after its adoption by the registered voters.
