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Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee
Date: 2014 -01 -27 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:
Precinct 2: Steve Crook, Alan Foulds
Precinct 3: Margret Russell
Precinct 4: Glen Hartzel, Richard Coco
Precinct 5: Phil Pacino, Phil Rushworth, Janice Jones
Precinct 7: Carolyn Whiting, John Segalla, John Carpenter, Jeff Struble
Precinct 8: Bill Brown
Members - Not Present:
Precinct 3: Paul Sylvester
Precinct 4: David Mancusco
Others Present:
Town Clerk: Laura Gemme
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Richard Coco, Clerk
Topics of Discussion:
The meeting was called to order by the Chair, Town Meeting Moderator Alan Foulds at 7:40
pm.
Article 2 -5 Nomination Procedures
Following a discussion on extending the time requirement to submit nomination paper to the
Town Clerk from the current twenty -eight (28) days to thirty -five (35 days) on a motion by
John Carpenter, second by Jeff Struble the committee voted unanimously to incorporate this
change into the revised Charter.
Article 8 -1 Charter Changes
On a motion by Jeff Struble, second by John Carpenter, the committee unanimously voted
to add the following paragraph to Article 8 -1 which in effect would allow changes made to
the charter without substantially changing Article numbering.
Non - substantive changes to the numbering of the various Articles within the
Charter shall be permitted in order that the numbering due to amendments
thereto and other consequent renumbering changes resulting therefrom are in
compliance with the numbering format of said Charter.
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The committee next discussed listing as separate new Articles: Article 4 -10 Town Forest
Committee; Article 4 -11 Historical Commission and Article 4 -12 Charter Review
Committee.
Bill Brown made the Main Motion, seconded by John Segalla to add these three new Articles
to the Charter under Section 4.0. Next the following amendments to the main motion were
offered:
First, to remove the RMLD as a member of the proposed Charter Review Committee. Motion
by Bill Brown, second by Richard Coco. This motion did not pass.
Second, to remove the Library Trustee from membership on the Proposed Charter Review
Committee. Motion by Jeff Struble, second by John Carpenter. This motion did not pass.
Third, change three (3) Citizens to three (3) Town Meeting Members on the proposed
Committee. Motion by Jeff Struble second by John Carpenter. This motion passed.
The Main Motion as amended then passed 10/2.
Through a handout submitted by Bill Brown to the Charter Review Committee dated January
21, 2014 changes to Section 3 -1 and 3 -2 of the Charter were proposed that would in effect
let the duties and responsibilities of Committees be defines through the Town By -laws.
Following a long discussion on the merits of the recommended changes a motion was made
by Bill Brown , second by John Carpenter to approve this change. The motion did not pass
by a vote of 2 in the affirmative, 10 in the negative.
A Bill Brown also proposed the addition of Article 4 -13 Permanent Building Committee
and included language defining the members of this committee
Proposed Article 4.13 Permanent Building Committee would create a committee which
would assess the long for, 11 against.
The proposed committee would be made up of five (5) Reading citizens: an attorney, an
engineer, an individual familiar with building construction and two (2) Town Meeting
members. As proposed, appointment to the building Committee would be by the Town
Moderator. There was a lengthy discussion of the proposed Article by members of the
Charter Review Committee including whether there was a recognized need for a Permanent
Building Committee and concerns regarding the appointing authority make -up. The
Committee believed that the appointing authority should include the Chairman of the Board
of Selectmen, School Committee and Moderator rather than just the Moderator as proposed.
Following the discussion, the Moderator asked for a vote on the consensus of the Committee
to include such an Article in the Reading By -Laws. The vote was in the 9 in the affirmative,
2 opposed, with one abstention. The Committee next unanimously voted to recommend to
the Reading Board of Selectmen the creation of a Permanent Building Committee with its
make -up include individuals with the expertise suggested by Bill Brown.
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The committee approved by consensus the addition of the following new Article.
Article 4 -13 Any of the elected boards or committees as listed in Article 3 of the Charter.
The Board of Selectmen may establish and appoint or dissolve standing or ad Hoc advisory
committees from time to time for a specific purpose. Such committees shall be considered a
"multiple- member body" as defined in the Charter, shall be appointed in accordance with
the process detailed in Section 8 -12, and members shall physically reside in the Town of
Reading at the time of their appointment and during their term of office.
The appointing authority shall report the purpose, membership and contact information of
said Committee to the Town Clerk in advance of the first meeting of said Committee.
On a motion by Bill Brown, second by John Segalla the Committee voted unanimously to
adjourn at 9:48pm.
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