The Bloomington Charter Commission conducted a systematic review of city charter chapters covering elections and administrative procedures during a special meeting Thursday.

The commission examined Chapter 4, which governs municipal elections, including rank choice voting procedures that apply only to mayor and city council races. Chair Rod Axel noted that voters have twice approved continuing rank choice voting in the city. The chapter also addresses candidate filing requirements, including a $50 filing fee established to discourage frivolous candidacies that previously triggered costly primary elections.

Commissioners also reviewed Chapter 6, which outlines city administration structure and the city manager's role. The review comes as the city operates under interim management following the recent resignation of the city manager, who left to lead Catholic Charities. The charter designates the city manager as the only employee of the city council, with authority to execute contracts up to $175,000.

The commission discussed modernizing language in sections 6.06 and 6.07, which govern contract execution procedures. Commissioner Karen Lindquist suggested rewriting these sections in plain English to make them more accessible to residents. The current language includes a 67-word sentence that commissioners found difficult to understand.

The commission scheduled its next meeting for April to review Chapter 5, which addresses citizen petition powers including initiative, referendum and recall procedures. The annual meeting is set for May 1, where any recommended charter amendments would be formally considered.