Mashpee Charter Commission
Mashpee Charter Commission
Minutes of Meeting Held Thursday, July 24, 2003
Mashpee Town Hall Meeting Room 1
Present: E. Larkin, D. Arden, J. Bacigalupi, R. Maney, J. Blumengarten, C. Bowmar-Perry, and C. Gasior.
Absent: R. Halpern, and W. Freeman.
Invited participants: Attorney Mike Curran, Consultant.
Audience: Bea Perkins, League of Women Voters.
A quorum being present, Ed Larkin, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.
Public Comments … None.
Approval of Minutes
Juan Bacigalupi motioned to accept the minutes of July 10, 2003 as presented; this motion was seconded by Ruth Maney and was unanimously approved, except Ed Larkin and Cathy Bowmar-Perry abstained.
Discussion
Mike Curran circulated a copy of Canton’s published finance committee report to the Commissioners, which they had requested at their last meeting.
Mike Curran then went through with the Commissioners each paragraph of the draft of Article 7 – General Provisions. Discussions were held on the provisions of this 5-page draft—most particularly further thought is to be given to the following issues for review at future meeting:
- For period of Charter review…10 years or less?
- Should Public Records be available in Library in addition to Town Clerk’s office?
- Under Section 7-9 – Removals and Suspension…Mike to check whether “co-terminous” or “concurrent” more appropriate wording.
Article 8 – Transitional Provisions
- Transitional Provisions Section is how you get from current government to new government provided in the Charter.
- Mike will compile list of Special Acts broken into 3 categories—namely, completely repealed; partially repealed; and still in effect.
- Lengthy discussion was held on Section 8-3 in order to clarify language…result was to delete last sentence in the drafted version.
- Section 8-5(c) was discussed at length with result being that Commissioners to review and then discuss further and decide at future meeting.
Action Items
- Mike will go through all notes of issues raised on Articles 1 though 4 for next meeting and asked Commissioners to send him e-mail of any individual concerns they have.
- For August 21 meeting Mike will draft proposal for cover letter that goes with Preliminary Report.
- Cathy to contact Jim Long with request for Charter Commission to make presentation at Senior Center on September 27.
- Commissioners to think of groups (in addition to Seniors and Mashpee Women’s Club) where Charter Commission should make presentation.
Schedule of Meetings
- August 7 – Vote on Articles 1 through 4, at least.
- August 21 – Vote on Articles 5 through 8, if not covered at August 7 meeting.
- September 4 - Final Approval for Preliminary Report.
- September 8 - Preliminary Report to go to newspaper.
- September 12 – Publish Preliminary Report .
Public Comments
Bea Perkins made following comments:
- Section 7-10 – Filling Vacancies. Acton had a volunteer committee of 5 members who did the preliminary interviewing for the vacancies and then they make recommendation(s) to appointing authority, rather than appointing authority doing all this.
- Maybe employees of town should reside within 50-mile radius?
- Referring to Section 8-5…Personally, agrees with Ed…if you have 10 candidates voter should be able to pick from list.
Next Meeting …Thursday, August 7, 2003 at 7 p.m. to vote on Articles 1 through 4, at least.
ADJOURNMENT
Ruth motioned to adjourn the meeting; Juan seconded the motion; and it was unanimously approved. The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Giliberti, Recording Secretary
