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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTGSCminutes20051205Town Government Study Committee Minutes, December 12, 2005 Land Bank Office Call to Order. Chairman Reinhard called the tenth meeting of the Town Government Study Committee to order at 4:06 pm. Present were members Reinhard, Willauer, Lohmann, Sevrens, Gardner, and guest Barnes. Miller and Topham absent. As the first order of business, Reinhard replaced a broken light bulb. Minutes. The minutes were approved. Mission Statement. Reinhard presented the committee's mission statement to the County Commissioners and the Board of Selectmen on November 30 for endorsement. Both bodies approved the statement with the added proviso "to issue a preliminary public report by Annual Town Meeting 2006," as indicated in the committee's draft timeline. Gardner moved and Sevrens seconded a motion, which passed, to approve the so revised mission statement. Meeting Schedule and Guest List. Reinhard invited Keith Bergman, but he cannot come to our meeting on the 23rd of January. We had also proposed a joint meeting with the Nantucket Civic League [NCL] on that date, with a public forum, question and answer session, and opportunity to solicit suggestions. Lohmann suggested we see if the NCL and Bergman can move to January 30th with the same format of a 3:00 pm meeting of the TGSC with Bergman and a 4:30 forum with Bergman and the NCL. Lohmann will check with the NCL and Reinhard will check with Bergman. If it is not possible, the TGSC can still make a presentation at the NCL meeting on the 23rd. We would not have any conclusions to present, but could review our procedures, note some issues for consideration, and solicit input from civic league members. Reinhard noted he had recently made a similar presentation to a local group, the "Winter Lunch" and encountered interest and questions that he will compile -- mostly on topics we had already raised. The members of the group asked to be added to the list for minutes. In any case, the TGSC will meet on January 9, 23, and 30, and February 13, the times and place to be determined. Sevrens asked when the committee would review the town by-laws, and whether we could obtain a copy; these, the Provincetown Charter, and an article in the Cape Cod Times on Falmouth's move to a Town Manager, would be documents to study. Reinhard will see to obtaining copies; meanwhile we will finish reviewing the Town and County Charters and then turn to the by-laws and special acts of the legislature. Committee member Miller joined the meeting at this time. Groux Proposal. Reinhard distributed a proposal for consulting services and accompanying documents he had received from Tom Groux. Gardner thought it looked good, but we have more work to do and shouldn't start too soon with a consultant. We need to refine what we need. We should check with the Town Administrator's office about required procedures in hiring a consultant. Miller felt it beneficial to have a facilitator to provide focus and move us along. Willauer felt it would be helpful to have a knowledgeable consultant. Much could be accomplished via e-mail or a conference call. We could compile a list of questions, forward them and limit the number of meetings the consultant would have to attend. Sevrens noted that Willauer will be attending the MMA conference in January and will have an opportunity to gather information there. Gardner suggested he speak with representatives from Falmouth and Mashpee about the process of their changes. Reinhard noted that a subgroup of the MMA, the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association [MMMA] does have a speaker's bureau; we can submit questions to them as well. There followed discussion of presentations of our work to the NCL and to the Town. Reinhard noted we are still in a discovery stage; we can list issues and questions that have come up -- such as the difference between a Town Administrator and a Town Manager -- and try to generate awareness and questions as he did at the Winter Group and will do at a Rotary meeting in January. These will be opportunities to develop material for the preliminary report due for the April Town Meeting. There was discussion whether the report should be in the form of an oral presentation at Town Meeting or to the BOS, County Commissioners and Town Administrator, or as a separate text or as a handout at Town Meeting. Committee members should consider what form the preliminary report should take. List of Issues and Questions. Reinhard asked the members to rank the issues listed so far in importance, high, medium or low. We may reorganize and reframe the questions, and add to them as we go along. Charter Review. Article VI, General Provisions. 6.2 The Code of Nantucket was a compilation of by-laws and special acts, compiled by Keith Bergman, which governed Nantucket before the Charters; it now includes the charters as well. Wiilauer noted there is a long process between when by-laws are enacted at Town Meeting, then have to go to the State and be approved by the Attorney General, then return to be incorporated into the code. Gardner noted that laws become official as soon as signed by the Attorney General, and enforcement can begin, depending on how the law is written. Updates are sent out. Miller and Willauer urged automating the updating process. 6.4(b) This paragraph can be deleted as outdated, but would be a good place to include a provision for periodic Charter Review, specifying the frequency of the review and who should carry it out. Regarding Charter Conformance, the TA has authority to enforce compliance with the charter. 6.5 These provisions will need to be taken into account should we propose any affected amendments. 6.6 This section will need to change to indicate when any new changes go into effect. Do the dates and provisions of the original Charter need to be retained, or can they also be deleted as outdated? Section 2. Can be deleted as outdated. Section 3. Needs to be revised to provide for ratification of any changes proposed. 1995 Charter Commission Report. Reinhard asked members to review the Charter Commission Report, with a view to it as a model for what our preliminary report might be, as a summary of "what and why" in the charter. Some of the issues will be the same. Other Business. Reinhard has submitted expenses for minor items such as stationery equipment. When it comes to larger, more complex expenditures, such as invited guests, he would like someone to act as treasurer. Sevrens suggested Topham. Reinhard wants to present all expenses to the whole committee. The next meeting will be January 9. In preparation, we should review the Charter Commission Report, review the County Charter, and prioritize the list of issues. Adjournment. At 5:30 pm Respectfully submitted, Pamela Lohmann