AUBURN – Commissioners will continue their review of the city’s charter in December, scheduling a public hearing sometime in January.

Eight members of the newly created Auburn Charter Commission met Tuesday night for an organizational meeting. Only Commissioner Dave Adams didn’t attend Tuesday.

The group appointed John Cleveland as commission chair, Chip Morrison vice chair and Dick Trafton as commission secretary.

The group also talked about when to schedule its next meeting. State law requires the commission to go before the public within 30 days after Tuesday’s meeting. That would put that public hearing right around the Christmas holiday.

“December is a terrible month to get people out, talking about a city charter,” said Dick Trafton, a member of the commission. His solution was to not end Tuesday’s meeting, but simply continue it until Dec. 14. That would let commissioners schedule their public hearing in mid-January.

“The goal in my mind is to encourage public participation,” Trafton said. “This public hearing is our kickoff, and I think we need to do it right.”

It also gives commissioners more time to plan what they want to do. They need to present any changes to the public in nine months and schedule a vote on the new charter next November.

Trafton suggested creating a Web site where the public could read the current charter and minutes from commission meetings. Members also suggested creating a charter e-mail address for residents to send in suggestions.

Elected commissioners are Cleveland, Morrison, David Adams, Harry Woodard, C. Ellen Peters and Edward H. Desgrosseilliers. Appointed members are Trafton, Gerard Dennison and Julie Orne.