Present: E. Petti, D. Arden, J. Bacigalupi, J. Blumengarten, C. Bowmar, R. Halpern, R. Maney and C. Gasior.
Absent: E. Larkin
The meeting was opened at 7:07 p.m.
Minutes-May 15, 2002 meeting.
Chairman Petti asked for a motion to approve the May 15th meeting minutes. Motion: R. Halpern; Second: R. Maney Carried
Clerk's Report
Chairman Petti asked the commission clerk to report on several matters from the May 15th meeting.
Mr. Gasior reported on the following:
• Clerical assistance: Admin. Mason said she would try to provide a secretary from the pool until the end of the fiscal year. After July 1, the cost would be charged to the Charter Commission appropriation.
• A mail box for the Commission has been set up in the Selectman's mail room.
• The clerk is to request that the town provide stationery for the Commission. The members approved the format above with the town logo included.
• Meeting dates of May 22 and 29, June 5, 12 and 19 have been put on the town calendar in the Clerk's Office and meeting rooms have been assigned.
• The statutory public hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday, June 19,2002 at 7 p.m. in Meeting Rooms 1 and 2. Mr. Gasior will work with Admin. Mason on the wording of the Legal Notice.
• Area Charters: As noted in the May 15th minutes, the members agreed that copies of area charters would be distributed at the May 29th meeting.
• Copies of "The Home Rule Amendment and The Home Rule Procedures Act", "Summary of Home Rule Charter Provisions in Massachusetts Municipalities" and "General By-Laws Town of Mashpee 2002" were distributed to each of the members.
• The members agreed that e-mail was the best method to correspond and to distribute notices and information between meetings.
• Mr. Gasior noted that to date the Town Clerk had not received correspondence from Michael Curran, Esq.
Commission Treasurer:
Chairman Petti asked the members if they felt a need for a Commission treasurer. After some discussion the members did not feel the immediate need, since that service would be provided by the town staff.
Web-site:
Motion: J. Bacigalupi; second: R. Maney to request that J. Blumengarten's charter web-site be included on the Mashpee web-site, and if that is not possible, that a link be provided on the town web-site to Mr. Blumengarten's site. Carried unanimously.
Chairman Petti reported that she had been in contact with Marilyn Contreas from the MA Division of Municipal Development and has arranged for her to attend the Commission's June 12th meeting.
R. Halpern asked Chairman Petti what prompted her to initiate the charter petition. Ms. Petti said that she felt the town lacked direction, was not responsive to its residents, had too many rules and regulations, lacked employee accountability, and that there was a need for strong leadership. She noted also that she was disturbed by the apathy of the town's residents toward town government and as reflected in the lack of candidates for town elected offices.
The members agreed that at future meetings they should begin analyzing sections of other charters and that specific charter orientation discussions be set in advance of future meetings.
Motion: J. Blumengarten; Second: R. Maney that at all future meetings of the Commission, the agenda shall include "Public Comment" at both the beginning and end of each meeting. Carried unanimously.
Motion: R. Maney; Second: D. Arden to adjourn the meeting. Carried. The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Charles E. Gasior, Clerk
Mashpee Charter Study Commission
