Newburgh moves toward public hearing on charter review commission

Newburgh is moving toward a public hearing on a proposal that could change who shapes city policy, who gets appointed to key posts and how much power residents have to push back on City Hall. The hearing is set for Monday, May 11, 2026, at 7 p.m. during the City Council meeting in Council Chambers at City Hall, 83 Broadway, Newburgh, NY 12550.

The city says residents may speak in person or send comments by email to comments@cityofnewburgh-ny.gov by 4 p.m. that day. The meeting will be livestreamed and recorded for later viewing, giving taxpayers a public look at a discussion that could eventually send charter changes to voters.

Under the proposal, the Charter Review Commission would have nine members selected by the City Council. Newburgh has three ways to create such a commission: the council can pass a local law, voters can be asked directly, or the mayor can create one. If the commission recommends amendments, those changes would go on the ballot in the next general election cycle. That means the review could reach into the city charter’s most practical machinery, including powers, departments, finances, boards and tax policy.

The city has used a council-manager form of government since 1917, with the mayor in a ceremonial role and the city manager holding executive authority under council oversight. City government says the last charter review in 2011 strengthened that system. The 2011 commission was funded by a New York State Department of State High Priority Local Government Efficiency Grant, began meeting every two weeks in January 2011 and held open public meetings. Nicholas Valentine, then mayor, appointed an 11-member commission with one alternate, though the working commission was nine members for most of its term.

That earlier panel had independent authority to place recommendations before voters without first seeking council approval, a structure that differed from the unsuccessful 2007 charter revision effort. Its proposals included replacing the five-member at-large council with a seven-member body made up of four ward seats, two at-large seats and the mayor. The commission also considered a shift to a strong-mayor system, but ultimately kept the city-manager form.

Pressure for another review has been building from residents. At the Feb. 9 council meeting, speakers said the current structure makes accountability harder to trace and slows the city’s response to problems. A Change.org petition calling for an independent Charter Review Commission had more than 150 signatures by Feb. 17. Councilmember Stewart said responsible organizations periodically revisit policies to see what needs to be updated or amended.

If the council moves forward, the process could stretch for up to two years. For Newburgh taxpayers and neighborhoods, the real question is not abstract governance but who hires, who answers, and who gets to change the rules when city government falls short.