2015-01-07 Special Town Meeting Minutes

Home Browse Search

SPECIAL TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School Preforming Arts Center January 7, 2015 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E Foulds, at 7:37 PM, there being a quorum present. Motion made by John Arena, Board of Selectmen to dispense of the reading of all motions in their entirety. Motion Carried Motion made by John Arena, Board of Selectmen to take Article 7 from the table Motion Carried Overview for Articles 7 and 8 — Reading Home Rule Charter The next two Articles reflect the work of the Charter Review Committee (CRC), a group formed by the Town Moderator as a body of Town Meeting. The CRC consists of all Town Meeting members that expressed interest in helping to conduct a thorough review of the Reading Home Rule Charter. The CRC has met for over one year, held many public meetings and two well- advertised Public Hearings. They received and considered input from a wide range of the community, including residents, volunteers and staff. Some of the CRC members were part of the original effort to create the Charter, others were on the last Charter revision about a decade ago, and some were new to this process. Here is a list of the CRC members, along with a list of their Precincts: Alan Foulds (Town Moderator, non - voting member and Chair of the Charter Review Committee); William Brown (8); John Carpenter (7); Richard Coco (4); Stephen Crook (2); Glen Hartzler (4); Janice Jones (5); Philip Pacino (5); Philip Rushworth (5); Margaret Russell (3); John Segalla (7); Jeffrey Struble (7); Paul Sylvester (3); and Carolyn Whiting (7). The process to change the Charter is a bit complex, and has two distinct parts: Sections of the Charter that may be acted on by Town Meeting, and if approved (as amended) then sent to the local voters for approval; and Sections of the Charter that may be acted on by Town Meeting, and if approved (as amended) then must be sent to the state legislature with a request for a Special Act. These two distinct parts of the process are why we have two different Articles in front of Town Meeting. Article 7 contains the complete language that is proposed by the CRC to be the new Reading Home Rule Charter. This gives Town Meeting members a look at the entire proposed Charter all in one place. Article 8 repeats certain portions of this proposed language. The motion under Article 7 will address only the portions of the Charter that may be approved by the voters. The motion under Article 8 will address the portions of the Charter that must be sent to the legislature. The proposed Charter language will be examined from start to finish in order of Charter Article, in much the same way the budget and recent zoning changes were. When the Town Meeting debate is finally 11 Page