The first meeting of a Monroe County charter review committee was brief and ended with homework for the members. The meeting took place this morning.

The committee, which was established by the County Legislature during its May meeting, is charged with reviewing two sections of county law that lay out how the county government is organized and how it functions: the county charter and administrative code. The laws govern issues including the size of the Legislature, the number of terms the county executive can serve, and the county budget development process.

By the end of today's meeting, County Legislature president and temporary committee leader Jeff Adair had assigned each of the seven members several parts of the charter and county administrative code to examine. For example, he and Democratic Legislator John Lightfoot will review the section of the charter that covers the County Legislature. The members are supposed to report back with their findings and ideas during the committee's next meeting, which will be held sometime in August.

During the meeting, Adair said he expects the review process to take about six months. At the four-month mark, the committee will probably start holding public input meetings, he said. Ultimately, the committee will present a final report, including any recommended changes, to legislators. The Legislature would have to approve the changes before they become law.

The review committee's members are Adair, Legislator Debbie Drawe, Lightfoot, Deputy County Executive Daniel DeLaus, attorney and Pittsford Town Board member Jared Lusk, Gates town attorney John DiCaro, and Frederick Holbrook, a former county legislator and former counsel to the Legislature. Lightfoot is the sole Democrat on the committee.

DiCaro has been elected the committee's chair.