AUBURN – Making changes to the city charter might take longer than nine months, Charter Commission Chairman John Cleveland said.

The commission has scheduled its first public hearing at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 at Auburn Hall. That meeting gives Auburn residents a chance to weigh in on the city’s charter and suggest possible changes.

Then the commission plans to meet with city staff, councilors and school officials and begin talking about how to change the charter.

“Our main goal is to keep discussions timely and be ready to submit any changes in time for a regularly scheduled election,” Cleveland said. “If for some reason it takes more time to do that, I think we have the latitude.”

Voters selected six Auburn residents in November’s election, and councilors appointed three more. The group completed its first meeting on Tuesday and is expected to make its first report nine months after the election.

“But we have some flexibility go beyond that date, if we have to,” Cleveland said.

The city adopted its charter in 1990, but made small changes and amendments in 1992 and 1994. Once the commission finishes its work, the voters will have a chance to approve or deny the new charter.

Commissioners decided to divide their review into five areas: Mayor and City Council operations, school committee and education department functions, elections, finance and budget operations, and city departments and commissions.

Cleveland said commissioners would meet several times per month for the next few months.