OPEN SESSION
CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING
Administration Building
One School Street
Sharon, MA 02067
Present: Peg Arguimbau, Allen Garf, Abigail Marsters, Andrew Nebenzahl, Paul Pietel and Colleen Tuck
Absent: Paul Izzo, Sam Liao
Also Present: Daniel Winslow, Town Moderator for Norfolk
Mr. Nebenzahl called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS
Approve Minutes
MOTION: (Tuck/Marsters) Moved to approve the Open Session minutes from the meeting of February 23, 2009 as drafted, amended and submitted to the Committee. Vote was six in the affirmative.
Acknowledge Correspondence
There was no correspondence to come before the Commission at this time.
Meeting with Daniel Winslow
Mr. Nebenzahl introduced Mr. Winslow and thanked him for taking the time to meet with the Commission. Mr. Winslow presented an overview of his experience:
• Norfolk Town Moderator for the past three years.
• Former Planning Board member
• Served in the Romney administration.
• Presiding Judge in the Wrentham District Court.
Mr. Winslow presented an over-view of how the Open Town Meeting form of government is conducted in Norfolk as well as the make-up of the town.
• There are 6,600 registered voters in Norfolk.
• Traditionally, there have been two Town Meetings a year – fall for non-financial matters (i.e. zoning, etc.) – May for budgets and financial matters.
• Two years ago, the Town made the decision to have one Town Meeting a year, with the ability to convene a Special Town Meeting if the need arises. Norfolk tried holding Town Meeting on a Saturday but found attendance did not increase.
• The average Town Meeting Warrant contains 50-100 articles.
• There is no quorum requirement for Town Meeting in Norfolk.
• In order to have a more efficient Town Meeting, Norfolk will implement the “five” minute rule for the first time at their May Town Meeting. Town Meeting members will be allowed to speak for five minutes the first time on warrant articles and three minutes the second time on the same article. After that, the Moderator will not recognize them. Mr. Winslow strongly encourages the use of pictures and visuals in presentations. He has found it is an effective tool for quickly educating the Town Meeting members on specific warrant articles. Developers who are presenting are held to the same five-minute rule.
• The Moderator has the authority to “bundle” articles.
• Norfolk’s Advisory Board opines on all financial warrant articles.
• As a way of disseminating information prior to Town Meeting, the Advisory Board’s recommendations are published in advance of the meeting; blogs are used; and there is a local cable pre-town meeting show, which discusses proposed warrant articles.
• Some novel approaches to increasing attendance at Norfolk’s Town Meeting has been:
- hosting spaghetti suppers prior to convening Town Meeting.
- raffle prizes for citizens in attendance at Town Meeting.
- providing on-site child care ($5 per child).
• Norfolk’s goal is to achieve 10% of the total population for attendance at Town Meeting.
• Norfolk hosts a “live” call-in show where citizens can call in and discuss warrant articles prior to Town Meeting.
• There was a discussion on “stacking” a Town Meeting with special interest groups. It was noted that this does happen with the Open Town Meeting form of government and is difficult to control.
• Norfolk does not have a Charter. The Board of Selectmen has been increased from a three to five member board, and Norfolk has a Town Administrator. The Town Administrator hires personnel subject to ratification by the Board of Selectmen.
• When there is a proposed commercial project, engineers design sub-surface and architects design the building, which ensures the aesthetics of the Town is preserved.
• Norfolk’s Planning Board consults a Town Planner on specific town projects. The town is currently experiencing a commercial building boom.
• The Moderator appoints the By-Law Committee, the Personnel Board, the Advisory Board, the Conservation Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals. The Board of Health, Planning Board and Board of Selectmen are elected.
Mr. Nebenzahl, on behalf of the Charter Commission members, thanked Mr. Winslow for an informative discourse. Mr. Winslow left the meeting at 8:15 p.m.
At this time, Mr. Nebenzahl called for a brief three-minute recess.
Open Session was reconvened at 8:20 p.m.
Commission members discussed Mr. Winslow’s presentation and how the Town of Sharon could implement some of Norfolk’s strategies. It was suggested that Commission members might attend surrounding communities Town Meetings and Council Meetings (particularly Franklin and Andover) to observe their process.
Mr. Curran will review and update the timetable and redistribute it to members.
OTHER BUSINESS
Process for Filling the Charter Commission Vacancy
Mr. Nebenzahl informally polled the members on their preferred protocol for filling the current vacancy. It was the consensus of the members to authorize the Chair to contact the next person in line who garnered the most votes, following the initial nine high votes, at the time of election to see if that person would be interested in filling the vacancy.
There being no further discussion on the procedure for filling the vacancy, Mr. Nebenzahl asked for a motion.
MOTION: (Tuck/Arguimbau) Moved to authorize the Chair to contact the person who ranked tenth in the voting to determine if he/she wishes to serve on the Charter Commission. Vote was four in the affirmative. Mr. Garf voted in the negative. Mr. Nebenzahl abstained.
Mr. Nebenzahl stated that his abstention was due to the fact that he knew who ranked tenth, Sue Peck, from the Board of Health. Mr. Nebenzahl will contact her regarding her interest in filling the vacancy.
Mr. Nebenzahl stated the next meeting is scheduled for March 9th and that Bill Fowler, Town Finance Director, will be invited to meet with the Commission. Mr. Nebenzahl will attempt to schedule Paul Bouton, Town Moderator, for the March 16th meeting.
There was a brief discussion on what should be contained in a Town Charter and what should be contained in “piggy back” by-laws. Mr. Nebenzahl asked members to consider what are their major concerns/goals and to focus on what works and does not work in their view. The membership must decide on what will work conceptually and then integrate it into a format.
Mr. Nebenzahl and Mr. Curran have been invited to attend a meeting on April 1st at 7:00 p.m. at the Sharon Public Library, the subject of which will be Charter Commissions.
Mr. Nebenzahl will follow-up with Paul Izzo on the status of placing the DVD of Burlington’s Town Meeting either on the web or on local cable.
There being no further business to come before the Commission at this time, Mr. Nebenzahl asked for a motion to adjourn.
MOTION: (Marsters/Garf) Moved to adjourn. Vote was six in the affirmative.
Open Session was adjourned at 9:13 p.m.
Submitted on behalf of the Charter Committee by: Helen Campanario, Recording Secretary to the Charter Commission