HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-06-16 ad Hoc Charter Review Committee Minutes° Town of Reading
°a Meeting Minutes
IIECEIVED
TOWN CLERK
Board - Committee - Commission - council: ADING. MASS.
Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee 2014 DEC 10 P 4j Si
Date: 2014 -06 -16 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: Paul Sylvester, Peg Russell
Precinct 4: Glen Hartzel, Richard Coco
Precinct 5: Phil Pacino, Phil Rushworth
Precinct 7: John Segalla, Jeff Struble, John Carpenter, Carolyn Whiting
Members - Not Present:
Precinct 8: Bill Brown
Precinct 5: Janice Jones
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 7:30
pm who announced that at the next meeting the Town Manager and Chairman of the Board
of Selectmen will be at the meeting to discuss proposed changes to the Reading Charter and
Selectmen comments.
A motion was then made by Phil Pacino, second by Margret Russell to approve the minutes
of the June 6 meeting with the following changes: correct the spelling of "standardization"
on page 1, and change the reference to Section 8 -7e from Section 8 -8e on page 2. The
motion passed unanimously.
Chairman Foulds then noted that based on his research, Ex Officio where it appears in the
Charter should be two words and that this change will be made throughout the Charter.
Town Clerk Gemme noted that Reading Town Counsel will not be available to review the
proposed revisions to the charter or any other questions concerning language in the
document until after July 1, 2014.
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The Town Clerk provided the Committee with information regarding the process for
Referendum ballot questions outlined in the applicable Massachusetts statute. She also
provided sample language from the Towns of Wakefield and Winthrop Charters. While Town
Meeting had approved language to address referendum ballot questions, the change was
not submitted to Reading voters for final approval because of the creation of the Ad Hoc
Charter Review Committee.
Member Phil Pacino reported to the Committee that the Reading Municipal Light Board
(RMLB) has submitted the proposed Charter changes which relate to the RMLD to its counsel
for review. He will report the results of this review at the June 30, 2014 meeting.
Town Clerk Gemme reported that the Reading Board of Selectmen plan to discuss the
proposed changes to the Reading Charter at their June 240 meeting and suggested that
members of the Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee consider attending that meeting. She
will therefore post a meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee for that same date.
Member Bill Brown while not present, submitted a proposed change to Article 8 -10
Meetings related to what constitutes a "Special Meeting ". There followed a discussion as to
whether a meeting called by a Town Committee on other than a normal scheduled meeting
day should be called "Special" or "Additional ". The question centered on whether "Special"
had some important meaning related to meetings other than those held on a normal
Committee schedule.
Following the discussion, a motion by Richard Coco, second by Margret Russell to change
"Special" to "Additional" in Section 8 -10 Meetings passed by a vote of 7 to 4. The
Committee however subsequently requested the Town Clerk to ask Town Counsel to review
the issue of whether the word "Special" was necessary from a legal perspective.
Member Brown also submitted suggested revisions to Article 5 -5 Acting Town Manager,
and Article 8 -7 Definitions. After some discussion the Committee decided to postpone
action on these until the next meeting when member Brown should be present to provide
background for these changes and also allow the Committee receive comments from the
Board of Selectmen.
The committee requested that Town Counsel give an opinion on whether or not we should
include the define "causes" that would allow the Board of Selectmen to remove a Town
Manager in Article 5 -4 and a definition of "Standing Committees" in Article 4 -13.
There followed a general discussion of future required meetings of the Charter Review
Committee if It is to submit the recommended revisions to the Reading Charter at the
Subsequent Town Meeting in November, 2014. Included Is the need for a public meeting as
well as an opportunity for a review of the changes by Town Counsel prior to the document
presentation at the November Town Meeting. Further, the Warrant for the Subsequent
Town Meeting closes on September 25".
The Chairman Alan Foulds stated that he will review the required meetings and propose a
list of future meeting dates for July, August and September at the next meeting which is
scheduled for June 3&.
A motion was made to adjourn by Phil Pacino, second by John Segalla which passed
unanimously. Time of adjournment was 8:50pm.
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