OPEN SESSION
CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING
Administration Building
One School Street
Sharon, MA 02067
Present: Peg Arguimbau, George Bailey, Allen Garf, Paul Izzo, Sam Liao , Abigail Marsters, Andrew Nebenzahl, Paul Pietal, Colleen Tuck
Also Present: Ben Puritz, Town Administrator, Members of the Board of Selectmen (R. Powell, J. Roach and B. Heitin), Attorney Michael Curran and Herbert Gould, member of the community
Mr. Nebenzahl called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS
Approve Minutes
MOTION: (Marsters/Bailey) Moved to approve the Open Session minutes from the meeting of November 10, 2008 as revised and submitted to the Committee. Vote was eight in the affirmative. Mr. Izzo abstained.
Acknowledge Correspondence
There was no correspondence to come before the Commission at this time.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Meeting with the Board of Selectmen
Mr. Nebenzahl opened the discussion by thanking Mr. Puritz and the Board of Selectmen for meeting with the Charter Commission. The Selectmen were asked to give an overview of their role in Sharons town government and how the Board interacts with all the Towns boards and committees. Areas covered during the lengthy discussion between the Charter Commission, Mr. Puritz and the Board of Selectmen:
How volunteers are recruited interviewed and appointed to various boards and committees.
Procedure for boards and committees to regularly meet with the Selectmen for the purpose of updating the Selectmen.
The relationship between the Board of Selectmen and advisory boards.
Whether relationships are successful with boards and committees due to protocol/structure or the collegiality between Selectmen and the boards and committees.
Whether specific language should be incorporated into a Charter, which codifies procedures between the Selectmen and the town boards and committees.
Budget process and implementation of strategic planning.
Collective bargaining procedures.
Role of the Personnel Board.
Consolidation of maintenance personnel between school and town. Mr. Heitin will forward the latest consolidation report to the Charter Commission for their review.
Importance of maintaining open communication between the Town Administrator and the Board of Selectmen and the difficulty of codifying such intangibles in a Town Charter.
Pros and cons of electing vs. appointing members to boards and committees.
Expanding the purview of the Priorities Committee.
Capital investment planning five year plan for all town departments.
How to effectively disseminate important information to voters prior to Town Meeting and how to effectively increase voter participation at Town Meeting.
Pros and cons of Open Town Meeting vs. Representative Form of Town Meeting.
Role of Finance Committee at Town Meeting.
Pros and cons of electing vs. appointing members of the Finance Committee, Planning Board, Board of Health, etc.
Incorporating recall language into the Charter.
Whether management committees should be changed to advisory committees i.e. Lake Management Committee, Standing Building Committee, etc.
Whether the Standing Building Committee should report to the Board of Selectmen. At present, the Standing Building Committee reports only to Town Meeting.
Mr. Nebenzahl asked Mr. Puritz to submit a memo to the Charter Commission outlining the changes that have evolved over the years regarding the powers of the Town Administrator relative to policies, procedures and budget.
Mr. Curran provided a discussion outline for determining goals. Areas of discussion provided by Mr. Curran:
1) Town Meeting Should we retain Open Town Meeting?
2) Elected Officials Should the number of elected officials and/or multiple member bodies be reduced?
3) Administration Should the existing position of executive secretary be continued?
4) Finances and Fiscal Procedures Should budgetary responsibility, administration and control be clearly set forth in the Charter?
5) Procedures and Policies Should the Charter include rules and procedures for open meetings, publication of agendas, minutes and reports for public consumption?
6) Other Areas of Concern Should the Charter Commission explore methods for long range planning, reassessment and evaluation of government and mechanisms for change that might be incorporated into the Charter?
The Selectmen briefly responded to each area. However, due to the lateness of the hour the Charter Commission proposed scheduling a subsequent meeting with the Board of Selectmen in order to discuss in depth the 6 talking points. Mr. Puritz and members of the Board of Selectmen left the meeting at 9:50 p.m.
Reactions to Special Town Meeting
Each member of the Charter Commission shared their impressions of the recent Town Meeting.
Areas of concern were poor attendance; lack of important information not being provided to voting members; how to effectively distribute information to voting members prior to Town Meeting; how to streamline the Town Meeting process.
OTHER BUSINESS
Mr. Nebenzahl will endeavor to schedule the Conservation Commission for the December 1st meeting.
Mr. Izzo volunteered to summarize the results from the committees and departments who have returned their surveys to the Charter Commission.
There being no further business to come before the Commission at this time, Mr. Nebenzahl asked for a motion to adjourn.
MOTION: (Marsters/Pietel) Moved to adjourn. Vote was nine in the affirmative.
Open Session was adjourned at 10:52 p.m.
Submitted on behalf of the Charter Committee by: Helen Campanario, Acting Recording Secretary to the Charter Commission