Members of the Wheeling Human Rights Commission are scheduled to meet Tuesday. On their agenda is a difficult issue they may not be empowered to handle adequately.

Last month, the panel’s chairman, Steve Novotney, was accused of making social media posts antagonistic toward the homeless, the mentally ill and those battling drug addiction. Some commission members were critical of him. An online petition calling for his dismissal from the commission gained a substantial number of signatures.

That issue is on the panel’s agenda for discussion Tuesday.

Clearly, members should investigate the matter thoroughly, if they have not done so already. Novotney deserves to present his side of the story. National politics notwithstanding, most Americans do not believe in punishing a person based solely on accusations.

Even if Novotney’s fellow commissioners believe he acted improperly, the panel’s options are limited. They can only remove Novotney as chairman.

Whether to keep him on the commission at all appears to be up to Wheeling City Council. Members of that body should be paying close attention to what happens during the meeting on Tuesday. If the situation merits decisive action — whatever it may be — council should take it.