The Board of Supervisors Tuesday will consider convening a charter review committee to make such proposed amendments. While formation of the committee is no guarantee members will recommend changes — or that voters would even agree to them — it is a beginning step to a possible charter revamp.

The committee can consider any allowable changes to the charter but must include the 2008-2009 civil grand jury’s report on how to fill unexpired terms of office. The committee should also look at consolidating and reorganizing departments and organizational improvements, according to a staff report by supervisors Mark Church and Rich Gordon who sit on the board’s Finance and Operations Committee.

The civil grand jury tackled the election issue after former San Mateo Councilwoman Carole Groom was appointed to fill the vacancy created by Jerry Hill’s election to the state Assembly. Rather than hold a special election, the Board of Supervisors decided an appointment would be less expensive.

Following that report and one promoting district wide elections, board President Mark Church said both require charter changes.

The last charter review committee gathered in 2002. The charter currently requires the committee to convene within eight years of its last meeting so, while it will discuss recently raised matters like elections, the two are not connected.

“The timing is serendipitous,” Gordon said.

In addition to filling vacancies and changing to district elections for supervisors, Gordon said the committee “has the capacity to look at anything and is candidly encouraged to do that.”

If the board agrees to the committee as expected, it will include 17 members. Each supervisor will pick two members from their district and seven will come from the Council of Cities, County School Boards Association, League of Women Voters, Central Labor Council, SAMCEDA, Sustainable San Mateo County and the Youth Commission.

The Youth Commission addition is a first for the county, Gordon said, adding that he hasn’t yet decided not to appoint his district’s two members.

“I think it is important to be as respectful as possible of the diversity of my district, particularly with the coast and Bayside,” he said.

The committee will meet as soon as possible after Jan. 1 and return recommendations to the Board of Supervisors no later than June 30. The timetable accommodates the election schedule so recommendations, if desired, can be placed on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Gordon recalled chairing a charter review committee in the ’80s that recommended separating the County Counsel’s office from the District Attorney’s Office. The last review, too, involved the committee returning more recommendations to the board than actually came to the voters.

The same could happen this time around or there could be nothing that voters are asked, he said.

While no outcomes are set, Dave Pine, San Mateo Union High School District Trustee, said he is glad to see the charter review committee is being specifically asked to tackle the election issue. Pine, a vocal opponent of the appointment process and a proponent of district elections, said it is time to have an open discussion about the issues.

“I feel strongly our current system needs to change. The difficulty is how that occurs,” Pine said.

Like Gordon, Pine finds the timing fortuitous.

“There will be plenty to talk about,” he said.

The Board of Supervisors meets 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10 in Board Chambers, 400 County Government Center, Redwood City.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.