Williamsport City Council passed a resolution to accept the technical and cost proposal bid submitted by the Pennsylvania Economy League (PEL) to provide consulting services to the Williamsport Government Study Commission looking at the option of drafting a home rule charter.

Cost proposals, with a cost not to exceed $83,000, are to be paid for by Commonwealth grant funding, according to the resolution.

The proposal was submitted in June for what’s called the Williamsport Home Rule Charter Government Study Commission, laying out what steps will be taken by the state’s leading nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization for over 90 years, to assist the commission in its task.

PEL has substantial experience providing technical assistance and grant expertise to counties and municipalities as they seek to manage their financial operational challenges, according to Vincent Canrizzaro, PEL executive director.

The organization has, over the past three years, staffed government study commissions in Wilkinsburg, completed in 2023. It has worked with the City of Lancaster, completed in 2024; Shamokin, completed in 2025, and Luzerne County, also completed last year.

Additionally, the organization is staffing government study commissions in Hazleton, Duquesne, and Newville.

Currently, the organization is assisting Wilkinsburg with specific aspects of the implementation of its charter and administrative code.

On May 19, the voters in Williamsport approved the formation of a Government Study Commission. The commission will be tasked with studying the current government structure and making recommendations, including the option of drafting a home rule charter.

To support this effort, PEL will:

— Assist the commission in conducting a thorough review of the City’s existing governmental structure, organization, and operations, and comparing it to other available municipal governance models.

— Develop structured interview materials and facilitate input from elected and appointed officials to identify strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.

— Work with the city’s consultant to present information on the financial condition of the City as it pertains to a home rule charter. PEL has worked with the city’s Strategic Management Planning program consultant, PFM, for other home rule engagements including the City of Lancaster and Newville Borough.

— Serve as a knowledgeable resource throughout commission deliberations, offering data-driven guidance and best-practice recommendations. This work will provide the commission with the information and analysis necessary to make a clear, well-supported determination on whether to proceed with drafting a home rule charter.

— Should the commission decide to move forward, PEL will organize and guide the charter development process and assist in the preparation of the final report in accordance with allballot, as doing so would significantly compress the process, requiring completion within approximately seven months-well short of the typical statutory timeframe of 18 to 20 months and necessitating a March 1 submission deadline.

Even the November 2027 target represents an accelerated schedule, reducing the commission’s deliberation period from the statutory 18 months to approximately 14 months. PEL typically aims to complete home rule charters by Aug 1, preceding the general election to ensure compliance with applicable election and home rule law requirements.

— This timeline assumes placement of the charter on the November 2027 general election ballot. Based on its experience, PEL does not recommend pursuing the May 2027 primary effectiveness, or whether these objectives would be better achieved under an alternative form of government.