Sometimes it’s not about how you start but about how you finish, at least that’s what the city’s Charter Revision Commission is hoping for. 

At the commission’s first public meeting at Queens Borough Hall on Wednesday, just a handful of residents showed up.

What You Need To Know

  • The Charter Revision Commission held its first public session on Wednesday in Queens that was sparsely attended

  • The commission, created by Mayor Eric Adams in late May, has about two months to review the charter, hold public hearings and make recommendations in time to make the ballot in November

  • Some of the comments from Queens residents included capital funding for infrastructure and affordable housing, creating open primaries and criticism of the City Council's advice and consent bill

Among those in attendance was a concerned Queens resident, Danielle Brecker, who is also a member of Community Board 2. 

“I just found out about this last night, about five o’clock. So more notice would be great,” she said.

Brecker called on the commission to make changes to the city charter that would strengthen agreements between developers and community boards. 

She also called for more capital funding for infrastructure in the borough. 

“I do live in a community with a lack of park space, lack of updated sewers, problems with transit and a lack of investment in public housing,” Brecker added.  

Another Queens resident focused her comments on the City Council. 

Yiatin Chu voiced concerns with the council’s advice and consent bill that would give local lawmakers more oversight over mayoral appointments. 

“The problem with letting City Council advice and consent is that no one is accountable. The mayor will blame the council and the council will say the commissioner reports to the mayor and the clear lines of accountability [are] then blurred,” Chu said.

Chu said that the recent passage of the “How Many Stops Act” by the council was a sign to her that the council was not in alignment with Queens residents who want effective policing. 

She used the bill as an example of why the council should not get expanded oversight powers. 

“I do not believe we should be giving this body of councilmembers, each of them having a very small number of constituents that actually support them to actually have more power. So I’m here to ask this commission to put this up for a referendum,” Chu said.  

Chu’s comments underscore one issue at stake for the commission. 

The council and mayor, though usually publicly cordial, are locked in a power struggle. The council wants more authority over mayoral appointments — a change that can only be made through the city charter. 

But Adams created his commission that now could block the council from getting their way. A mayor’s proposal to revise the charter takes precedence over any other planned amendments which voters then would consider this November.

It’s unclear if the commission is going to take up the issue. 

“The commission was created on May 21. We are tasked with reviewing the entire city charter and recommending changes that will help New York City government work more efficiently and better serve all New Yorkers,” Carlo Scissura, chair of the commission, said.  

The poor attendance at the first hearing was something the commissioners acknowledged and told NY1 they hope improves in the coming weeks. 

But critics say it’s a sign of poor planning. The commission only has about two months to hold public hearings, review the charter and make recommendations in time to make the ballot in November. 

The next commission meeting will be on Thursday morning on Staten Island.