By-Law Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes 12/11/2014

TOWN OF HARWICH

By-Laws/Charter Review Committee

MEETING MINUTES

December 11, 2014 @ 6:30 pm

Town Hall Library

In attendance:  Anita Doucette, Bob Hartwell, Donald Howell, Katie O’Sullivan, Deborah Sementa

Others present:  Dorothy Harder, Elizabeth Harder, Sandy Hall, Virgina Hewitt, Mary Warde

Selectman Liaison:  Angelo LaMantia (nonvoting)

In the Chairmen’s absence, the meeting was called to order by Anita Doucette @ 6:34 pm.

Motion to approve minutes was made by Anita Doucette and seconded by Bob Hartwell. Minutes approved by 3-0 vote.  (Abstention – Katie O’Sullivan)  The meeting was then adjourned for 10 minutes in anticipation of the Chairman’s arrival.

The Chairman again opened the meeting @ 6:50 pm.  Don welcomed Katie O’Sullivan as a new member of the Committee.  Don announced he received proposed bylaws changes from Matt Hart and Skip Patterson.

Old Business

Before addressing old business, Don reiterated the responsibilities of this Committee are to review and amend Bylaws and Charter changes (evaluate, not write) subsequent to review by the Town Administrator and the Board of Selectmen (BOS). Persons requesting changes must first submit proposals to the Town Administrator’s office who will then send to the BOS for review. The Town Administrator will then forward the finished form (Article) to the Bylaws/Charter Committee for evaluation. A public hearing will then be scheduled, if warranted. The Committee was in agreement.

The Bylaws Committee received an Executive Summary with supporting documents of CDM Smith’s draft summary of the Town’s wastewater initiatives.   CDM Smith is a consulting firm contracted by the Town of Harwich to work with the Wastewater Management Subcommittee in developing the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan.  As the Committee reviews the documents, Don recommended and it was unanimously voted by the Committee (5-0) that any questions posed by Committee members regarding this issue are forwarded to and recorded by the Clerk who will gather the questions and forward them to the Chairman and Selectman LaMantia who will then submit to Kopelman & Page for their review and opinion.

Proposed Charter amendment language was presented by Mary Warde and Virginia Hewitt on behalf of the Library’s Board of Trustees.  The proposed change to Article 6-7-2 is the elimination of the word “professional” from the definition of library staff.  Striking this word will give the library Trustees authority over hiring staff.  This change was reviewed by the Library’s counsel and an opinion was provided to the Committee.  Don suggested this change be a ballot question rather than a vote at Town Meeting.   Virginia will go back and rewrite the proposed change and decide if it should go to the legislature (Town Meeting) or to a ballot.

New Business

Since the Bylaws and Charter Review Committee experienced a five-year hiatus, the Committee has received proposed amendments from several sources, including the proposed wastewater and water commission changes.  Don is requesting the Selectmen prioritize issues they want addressed by this Committee.  It was decided that the wastewater and library issues were most important.  Angelo agreed and will get affirmation from the Board of Selectmen that these two issues be addressed first.

There was discussion regarding the water commission’s position.  Sandy Hall stated that Commonwealth Home Rule gives the Town flexibility to do things the way we want as long as it does not conflict with state laws.

Next meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 22 @ 6:30pm at the Town Hall Library.

Meeting adjourned at 8:43 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Deborah A. Sementa

Recording Secretary