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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Rules Committee
Date: 2022-06-15
Building: Virtual
Address:
Purpose: Yearly Meeting
Attendees: Members - Present:
Jennifer Hillery
Salvatore Bramante
Nancy Tawadros
Kern Perri
Genady Pilyaysky
Vanessa Alvarado
Dan Dewer
William Brown
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Amy Cole
Julie Ross
Carla Nazzaro
Jack Devir
Liz Sullivan
Jesse Arnold
Jason Clarke
Laura Gemme
Alan Foulds
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Location: Zoom
Session: Open Session
Version: Draft
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Genady Pilyaysky
Topics of Discussion:
RECEIVED
TOWN CLERK
READING, MA.
2022 JUN 30 PH 5 30
Jason Clarke gave a PowerPoint presentation on the behalf of the bylaw committee to report their work -to -dale
on exploring different electronic voting (E -voting) options.
- The Bylaw's committee (Bylaw Comm.) slides should be made available after the meeting.
Jesse Arnold discussed technology variants:
- Technologies considered includes clickers and the 'app'voting.
Liz Sullivan discussed how they examined other towns which had implemented E -voting
Kern Perry asked to bring up the Instructional Motion for the committee to examine.
Genady Pilyaysky inquired about:
1) Two different methods (hardware vs app) and
2) If some supplementary hardware can be used with app.
Laura Gemme stated that yes.
Jennifer Hillery asked about the methodology used to examine nearby towns. This was done by the
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Bylaws Comm. looking online or directly calling the town hall of those towns.
Salvatore Bramante asked what motivated E -voting exploration.
Alan stated that it came about during the remote meeting when the TM felt that they did not know how people
voted during the Zoom meeting.
Genady Pilyaysky shared that a lot of people he talked to in his precinct wanted transparency and the ability to
see how their representatives voted.
William Brown pointed out the hypocrisy that folks can see how people vote but can't call the representatives.
Laura stated that this issue is being addressed by the Town Hall via a direct option for constituents to directly
email their representatives.
Allan Foulds recommended that we either adapt or move to do more exploration into this topic.
William Brown stated that the town meeting worked without an electronic voting system for 50 years and there
have been no issues.
Dan Dewar shared that based on the research he has done, towns typically form committees to explore and
implement E -voting.
Kenn Perry asked to bring up the IM for the committee to re-examine.
Jennifer Hillery second Dan Dewar's statement that a comm. should explore E -voting implementation.
- Paraphrasing, -"Many towns, our peers, have implemented this and we should be able to leverage their
experience as resources to do our due diligence."
A motion was proposed by Vanessa: "Request that the Town Manager forms a task force to consider the
implementation of E-vofing at the Town Meeting to cover rules, implementation, bylaws, and cost range."
Multiple friendly amendments were suggested to adjust and modify the language until the rules committee
proposed: "Move to request that the Town Manager forms a task force to consider the implementation of E -
voting at the town meeting to cover bylaws, cost range, feasibility, and accessibility. The task force will examine
new equipment which includes hardware and software, new and existing. The results shall be brought back to
the miss committee and the bylaw committee."
7-1, motion carried.
Transitioned to discussing the deputy moderator position.
- Allan will be looking into this topic further, gathering additional information.
Dan Dewar recommended that the chair is needed to be present in order to be assigned that responsibility.
It was stated that when an individual could not be elected due to their absence, the process may be
undemocratic.
Discussion carried.
Dan Dewar would like more clarity and proposed the following motion: "Vote to send the following statement to
the select board for inclusion in the future town warrant: A candidate for a precinct chair and the clerk position
must be in attendance to be considered and elected."
2-8, the motion did not pass.
A new motion was proposed: "Vote to send the following statement to the select board for inclusion in the
future town warrant: A candidate for a precinct chair and the clerk position must be present in attendance, or
state their interest to accept the nomination directly in writing to the town clerk, to be considered and elected."
8-0, the motion passed.
An additional motion was proposed by Genady Pilyaysky with language crafted by the committee: "Vote to
send the following statement to the select board for inclusion in the future town warrant: Motion that
amendments to the general and zoning bylaws should be submitted in writing before, or during, the town
meeting. Includes direct email to the town clerk before the meeting or filled out Town Hall provided form during
the meeting"
8.0 motion passed. '
The meeting was moved to adjourn with no objection
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