A commission called to study the process of changing the Concord School District charter met last night to select officers and plan its agenda.

The Concord district is the only one in New Hampshire whose charter remains subject to legislative control. Concord lawmakers urged the Legislature this year to allow the school district to amend its own charter.

The bill cleared the House but not the Senate, where the Municipal and County Government Committee recommended creating a commission to study the issue

The members of that commission met for the first time yesterday. They selected as their chairwoman Maureen Redmond-Scura, a longtime resident described by school board President Kass Ardinger as an active PTO parent knowledgeable about the school system.

City councilor Stephen Shurtleff, also a Democratic state representative, was elected vice chairman. Local attorney Charlie Russell said Shurtleff's experience chairing the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee "probably gives him some skills in leading these meetings."

The commission clerk will be Pia Shea, a Walker and Kimball parent and former co-president of the Walker PTO.

Also on the commission are Rep. Rick Watrous, the Concord Democrat who called the commission to order; Rep. Beverly Ferrante, a Republican from Derry and member of the Municipal and County Government Committee; state Senate President Sylvia Larsen, a Democrat from Concord; Mayor Jim Bouley; school board member Clint Cogswell; attorney Chuck Douglas; former school board member Bill Glahn; and Anthony Tenczar, a district parent.

The commission is charged with producing a report by Dec. 1 on whether, and if so how, the existing legislative charter should be kept, changed or replaced.

Members discussed the focus of the work ahead last night. Watrous was supported by other members when he argued the commission has a narrow focus.

"We are not a charter commission per se. We are a commission to study the legislative school charter setup that Concord currently has," he said.

Douglas suggested the commission refrain from imposing any broad limit on its inquiries.

"In Philadelphia, they met to amend the Articles of Confederation and ended up with a new Constitution," he said. "I'm not ready, Madame Chair, to say we're only here to do X or Y. I say let's see where it leads us."

The commission will next meet at 6 p.m. Sept. 24 at the school district offices at 16 Rumford St. Members agreed last night to invite Secretary of State Bill Gardner and Assistant Attorney General James Kennedy to speak about the history of changing municipal charters in the state.

The commission will solicit comment for public hearings Oct. 20 and Nov. 12 at the city council chambers.

Additional meetings were scheduled for Oct. 8 at the council chambers, Nov. 5 at the school district offices and Nov. 19 at the district offices.