A non-paid elected commission looking into the best form of government for Williamsport held a meeting Wednesday and came up with several questions for a survey.

The seven-member city Charter Commission crafted the survey, which is to be taken by about 200-plus city employees, current and former elected officials and the general public.

The survey will not require names, said Fred Holland, commission chairman.

The questionnaire is intended to help the commission as it forms a recommendation as to what is the best form of government and voters can decide on that in the fall general election.

It may be the group decides to recommend the existing strong mayor-City Council form, or a council-manager type. It is less likely, based on discussion, it would want a commission or a weak mayor at the helm in City Hall.

On Wednesday, the commissioners spent about an hour reaching a consensus on the survey questions. They narrowed down their ideas for the questions to topics such as: communications, leadership, operations and responsiveness.

Commissioner Steve Shope also developed a timetable with benchmarks for the commission to consider as it does its research.

The commission’s work thus far and some of its prepared survey-questions hints that it may be looking closely at keeping the existing government of a strong mayor and council, or recommending a council-manager form. It seemed less interested, after receiving a briefing at its last meeting from a government expert, in pursuing research on forms of government such as a commission, or a weak-mayor paired with a council.

Entered into the record was a letter from the Lycoming County Board of Elections stating it disagreed with a state government official on whether Williamsport voters should have had two ballot questions in the November 2017 election. Holland said he and Jennifer Ayers, a commissioner on the city Government Study Commission, separately reviewing aspects of Home Rule Law and making a recommendation on government form for the electorate to decide on, will meet with the board attorney and Lycoming County commissioners.

The government study commission meets next at 5:30 p.m. Monday for a public hearing at City Hall.