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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-10-21 ad Hoc Charter Review Committee Minutes Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee Date: 2013-10-21 Time: 7:30 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Purpose: Review Reading Town Charter Session: General Session Attendees: Members - Present: Bill Brown: Precinct 8 Richard Coco: Precinct 4 Steve Crook: Precinct 2 Alan Foulds: Town Meeting Moderator Phil Rushworth: Precinct 5 John Segalla: Precinct 7 Jeff Struble: Precinct 7 Paul Sylvester: Precinct 3 Carolyn Whiting: Precinct 7 Members - Not Present: Margret Russell: Precinct 3 Phil Pacino: Precinct 5 John Carpenter: Precinct 7 Glen Hartzler: Precinct 4 Others Present: Robert W. LeLacheur, Jr: Town Manager Laura Gemme: Town Clerk Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Richard Coco Topics of Discussion: Call to Order 7:30 pm Discussion: Meeting minutes from 9/16/13 and 10/7/13 were distributes and reviewed. The following addition to the minutes of 9/16/13 was recommended to clarify approval process for changes made to the Reading Home Rule Charter: "The Town Clerk stated and concurred that the Massachusetts Attorney General's, Municipal Law Unit suggested and stated that if the proposed changes to the Reading Home Rule Charter are submitted to the Massachusetts Legislature then they should also be submitted to the voters of Reading on the ballot at the next regularly scheduled town election." Also several typo corrections were noted and add Stephen Crook (Precinct 2) to the list of committee members to the September 16th minutes. It was also recommended that the minutes of the October 7th minutes be revised to include the full names of both the member making a motion and the member seconding the motion. Page 1 1 A vote on the minutes of both the September 16th and October 7th meetings was deferred to the next meeting to allow for the recommended changes and corrections to be incorporated in both meeting minutes. Changes, revisions voted by Charter Article number: Article 2-3 (and other Articles) Add "Board or Committee" throughout the document to reflect the name of each board or committee in its entirety where a Board or Committee is referenced. Motion made by Bill Brown, second by Steve Crook. Voted unanimously: 8-0 Article 2-6 — delete "fail to take his oath of office within thirty (30) days following his notice of election, or" from the second paragraph. Motion made by Steve Crook, second by Bill Brown Voted in the affirmative: 6-2 Article 2-6 — fourth paragraph, 5th line add "(7)" after the word seven. Motion by Richard Coco, second by Steve Crook Passed unanimously: 8-0 Article 2-8 Delete the word "temporary" before Moderator, add and italicize "Pro Tempore" after Moderator in the last line of the paragraph. Article 2-9 Italicize and capitalize "Pro Tempore" Motion made by Steve Crook, second by Jeff Struble Passed unanimously: 8-0 Article 2-9 Chaptalize "Bylaw" where ever it appears in the document. Motion by Steve Crook, second by Richard Coco Motion did not pass:2-6 Article 2-11 Add "or designee" after Department Head in the second paragraph. Motion made by Jeff Struble, second by Carolyn Whiting Passed unanimously: 8-0 Article 2-12 Add a sentence at the end of the first paragraph "Standing Committees shall be subject to the Open Meeting Law." Motion made by Bill Brown, second by Phil Rushworth Passed unanimously: 8-0 Article 2-12 Fourth Paragraph — delete "in writing at least seven (7) days before" and add "to" before Town Meeting. Motion made by Bill Brown, second by Steven Crook Passed unanimously: 8-0 Article 2-12 Finance Committee — Delete in the fourth paragraph "in writing at least seven (7) before" and add "to" between the words "Warrant" and "Town Meeting.". Motion made by Bill Brown, second by Steve Crook Page 1 2 Passed unanimously: 8-0 Article 2-12 Committee on Bylaws — incorporate the same change to the first paragraph, by deleting "in writing at least seven (7) before" and add "to" between the words "Warrant" and "Town Meeting." Motion made by Bill Brown, second by Jeffrey Struble Passed: 7-1 Article 2-12 Rules Committee- delete "Annual" and replace by "a". Article 2-12 Rules Committee — add "from time to time "between the words "which" and "shall" in the first sentence, second line. Motion made by Jeff Struble, second by Phil Rushworth Passed unanimously: 8-0 Article 2-12 Rules Committee — change "Chairmen to "Chair or Chairs" after the word Precinct, in the second line of the first sentence. Motion by Steve Crook, second by Richard Coco Passed unanimously: 8-0 There followed a discussion, prompted by the Reading Town Manager Robert W. LeLacheur, Jr., to allow inputs/comments from the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee. It was agreed to set aside a meeting for these inputs but the choice of meeting dates was delayed until the next Charter Review Committee meeting scheduled for November 4, 2013. On a motion by Phil Rushworth, second by Bill Brown the committee voted unanimously to adjourn at 9:40 pm. Page 1 3