The City Council Tuesday confirmed the five remaining members of the Charter Reform Commission, marking a significant step as the group will begin to review and recommend major changes to city governance starting next month.
In a 13-0 vote, council members approved Carla Fuentes, Michael Yap, Diego Andrades, Andrea Mac and James Thomas to serve on the 13-member panel. City Council members Nithya Raman and Monica Rodriguez were absent during the vote.
The council’s decision came four days after its rules committee gave preliminary approval.
The Charter Reform Commission is expected to convene July 19 for its next meeting.
Commissioners will review the City Charter to recommend changes. According to Mayor Karen Bass’ office, subjects for review may involve expanding the City Council, delivery of city services, contracting processes, revising the city’s budget process, and censure and suspension of elected officials.
Recommendations from the commission will be submitted to the City Council in early 2026 for possible inclusion on the November 2026 ballot.
In June 2024, the council and Bass established the commission, culminating months of work by the Ad Hoc Committee on City Governance Reform. The effort came in response to a leaked 2022 audio recording of racist comments made by then-City Council members Gil Cedillo, Kevin de León and Nury Martinez that sparked public outrage.
The commission consists of four members selected by Bass and two each by the City Council president and president pro tempore.
The initial seven members — Mona Field, Robert Lewis Jr., Raymond Meza, Melinda Murray, Christina Sanchez, Martin Schlageter and Ted Stein — were selected by elected officials.
Commissioners elected Meza as interim chair and Sanchez as vice chair. Another vote on the chair and vice chair is expected once the full commission is set.
Through an application process, the initial seven members then selected the remaining five, which they forwarded to City Council for consideration.
Fuentes is a social innovation manager for the Goldhirsh Foundation. The organization bills itself as a “$60 million, 100% mission-aligned foundation that supports innovation via its financial, human and social capital,” according to its website.
Michael Yap is the vice president deputy general counsel for AUCTANE, a software solutions and logistics provider. Andrades serves as the assistant director for USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future.
Thomas is an assistant professor of Pan-African Studies at Cal State Los Angeles. Mac is a program coordinator for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment.
President Pro Tempore Bob Blumenfield is expected to make an appointment, replacing a commissioner who resigned, to formally complete the 13-member commission.