PROVIDENCE — The board that approves all major city purchases is made up largely of the mayor’s staff and appointees, but voters next year might be asked to change that.

The City Council is considering posing a referendum question on adding three citizen representatives, all council-appointed, to the Board of Contract and Supply.

Mayor David N. Cicilline chairs the 12-member board, but he is typically absent from the board’s meetings, which are held every other Monday afternoon and are usually run by the acting director of public property, Alan Sepe.

Other members of the board include the City Council president, the chairs of the council’s City Property and Finance committees, the finance director, the city controller, the director of public works, the commissioner of public safety, the city treasurer, the head of the Providence Water Supply Board and the School Board president.

Councilman Miguel Luna, D-Ward 9, who introduced the resolution calling for the referendum, wants to boost the board to 15 members and impose limits on the voting rights of department heads appointed on the board. Because the board is established by the City Charter, any changes to its composition require voter approval.

“By adding new members, we can ensure that major purchasing decisions aren’t made by one branch of government alone, and truly reflect the will of the people of Providence,” Luna said.

Other Rhode Island communities, including Cranston, North Providence and Pawtucket, have members of the public on their purchasing boards.

“Community representatives will provide outside perspective, increased transparency, and will help ensure that the board’s decisions always keep the needs and concerns of the taxpayers in mind,” said Luna.

Council President Peter S. Mancini said that even if the measure is approved, the challenge will be getting citizens out to the afternoon meetings. “I don’t think having more public participation is a bad thing,” he said. “Will it make a difference? Probably not.”

The proposal, which is pending before the council’s Ordinance Committee, comes after a number of questionable purchases approved by the board.

In April, the board approved hiring the Washington, D.C., lobbying firm, Peck, Madigan, Jones & Stewart, to help the city with economic stimulus plan-related issues. The firm is being paid $135,000.

Council members were critical of the awarding of the no-bid contract and the council’s auditor, James Lombardi III, said that the board should not have authorized spending city reserve account funds to hire the firm.

And in February, the board approved the hiring of auditing firm KPMG, nearly five months after the firm was retained by the city.

KPMG conducted the probe into the city’s efforts to collect a $75,000 check from the mayor’s brother, John M. Cicilline, as well as allegations of political favoritism in the tax collector’s office.

Council members were critical of the awarding of the no-bid contract to KPMG and the cost of the work, which totaled nearly $300,000.

KMPG concluded that the mayor was not involved in his brother’s dealings with the city, but that high-level staff were and had sought to resolve the issue quietly.

pmarcelo@projo.com