OPEN SESSION
CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING
Administration Building
One School Street
Sharon, MA 02067
Present: Peg Arguimbau, Allen Garf, Paul Izzo, Andrew Nebenzahl, Suzi Peck and Paul Pietel
Absent: Sam Liao, Abigail Marsters, and Colleen Tuck
Mr. Nebenzahl called the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m.
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS
Mr. Nebenzahl asked for a motion to approve the Open Session minutes from the March 9th meeting. Mr. Izzo asked to strike a sentence. It was the consensus of the Commission to amend the minutes as recommended by Mr. Izzo.
Approve Minutes
MOTION: (Pietel/Arguimbau) Moved to approve the Open Session minutes from the meeting of March, 9, 2009 as drafted, submitted and amended. Vote was five in the affirmative. Suzi Peck was not able to vote, as she had not been sworn in by the Town Clerk.
Suzi Peck informed the members that she would be sworn in before the March 23rd meeting. There is a meeting conflict on March 23rd with the Board of Health. Mr. Nebenzahl polled the members present to see if it would be possible to start the meeting at 6:30 p.m. rather than 7:00 p.m. Mr. Nebenzahl will contact Paul Bouton, guest speaker, and attempt to schedule the start time for the March 23rd meeting for 6:30 p.m.
Acknowledge Correspondence
Mr. Izzo stated that there was not correspondence to come before the Commission at this time.
Updating New Commission Member, Suzi Peck
Mr. Nebenzahl stated that the purpose of tonight’s meeting was to update the newest member of the Charter Commission, Suzi Peck, on the progress of the Commission to date. As explained at the March 9th meeting, the Commission voted to fill the vacancy with the person (Suzi Peck) who was tenth in the voting in the town election last spring when the Charter Commission was elected. Suzi Peck is currently a member of the Board of Health. Though Suzi was addressed the Commission at the March 9th, Mr. Nebenzahl asked that she again present a brief overview of her qualifications and background.
Suzi has been a resident of Sharon for the past 20 years and regularly attends Town Meeting. She has been an appointed member of the Board of Health since its inception, has a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Harvard University and has been employed by the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) for the past 15 years.
Mr. Nebenzahl asked each member to present an overview of the Commission’s activities to date.
Suzi was updated on the guest speakers from surrounding communities that met with the Commission. Each raised valid points for their form of town government. It is now the Commission’s responsibility to balance what is in the best interest of the Town of Sharon.
There was a lengthy discussion on values, the difficulty in quantifying values, reconciling competing values, and how it is incumbent on the members to achieve a balance - not “overplay individual values” and to create a document that is in the best interest of Sharon and not simply create a document that in, the view of the Commission, would receive a favorable vote from the community.
Areas for further discussion/delineation:
• defining the line of authority between the Board of Selectmen and the Town Administrator.
• what should be placed in the Charter and what should be placed in piggyback by-laws and the process for changing/amending the Charter in the future. (Mr. Curran to provide further clarification)
• how many more town boards/committees should be invited to meet with the Commission.
• further discussion of ad hoc committees and what boards/committees should be appointed vs. elected.
• solidify the process for long-term planning for the town and consider the culture of Sharon.
• codify structure and responsibilities of town boards/committees.
• refining procedures for a more effective Town Meeting – i.e. complex zoning issues.
• future timeline – i.e. creating draft document, conducting an open forum, publication of the draft in the local newspaper, etc.
NEW BUSINESS
There was a discussion on the adherence to the time-line provided by Mr. Curran at the previous meeting and whether there is a need to schedule appoints with the Chief of Police, the Capital Outlay Committee, the Superintendent of the DPW, the Library trustees, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Board of Health or whether their survey replies were comprehensive enough and a meeting with the Commission would not be necessary. It was the consensus of the members to limit presentations/discussions with boards/committees to one-half hour.
There was a brief discussion on the procedure for creating the draft Charter document and the most efficacious way of receiving input from the community (i.e. open forum meeting).
OTHER BUSINESS
There was acknowledgment of recent articles in the news pertaining to Mr. Curran, former Town Moderator in Canton, and the retirement compensation he receives from Canton.
Mr. Nebenzahl stated the Town Moderator, Paul Bouton, is scheduled to meet with the Commission on March 23rd.
There being no further business to come before the Commission at this time, Mr. Nebenzahl asked for a motion to adjourn.
MOTION: (Izzo/Garf) Moved to adjourn. Vote was six in the affirmative.
Open Session was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Submitted on behalf of the Charter Committee by: Helen Campanario, Recording Secretary to the Charter Commission