Town of Westwood Government and Charter Task Force Public Forum December 15, 2010 .

Town of Westwood Government and Charter

Task Force

Public Forum

December 15, 2010

www.townhall.westwood.ma.us

Created by Westwood Board of Selectmen, October 2009 and re-appointed July 2010• Peter Cahill, Chairman• Karen Manor Metzold, Vice Chairman• Tom Daly• Margery Eramo• Paul Fitzgerald• Charles Flahive• Ken Foscaldo• Frank Jacobs• Alice Moore• Mike Jaillet, ex officio• Dottie Powers, ex officio• Anne Marie McIntyre, Task Force Administrator• Lauren F. Goldberg, Esq., Kopelman and Paige, PC, consultant to Task

Force


Mission Statement

The Task Force will review and consider potential revisions to the current Town Charter, adopted in 1970 and periodically revised thereafter. The Task Force should conclude with a recommendation to the Board of Selectmen as to the aspects of the Town Charter that should be considered for revisions and the appropriate process, as defined by state law, for accomplishing said revisions.


Review Process to Date

Current Charter

Westwood Residents

MA General Laws

MA Town Charters

Revised Charter

Documents Interviews

Task Force Research, Outreach, Meetings,

and Discussions

Other Relevant Publications

MA State Representatives

Westwood Elected and Appointed Officials

Outreach DiscussionsThe Task Force has conducted over 20 public meetings and sought input at Task Force meetings from

representatives of these State and Town functions:

State Level• Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development• Massachusetts Department of Revenue-Division of Local Services• Massachusetts Municipal Managers Association

Town of Westwood Elected Offices• Board of Assessors• Board of Selectmen• Clerk• Collector• Moderator• Planning Board• School Committee• Sewer Commission• Treasurer

Town of Westwood Appointed Positions• Department of Public Works Director• Executive Secretary• Finance Commission• Finance Director• Permanent Building Committee • Town Counsel

Information GatheringA full index of articles and information collected by the Task Force isincluded as Appendix 1 to Summary of Proposed Charter Revisions. Thatindex contains details of the following actions of the Task Force:

• Conducted public meetings starting October 2009

• Reviewed state laws applicable to Westwood Town Government

• Reviewed prior efforts of charter review in 1970 and 1985

• Reviewed numerous charters from other towns in Massachusetts

• Reviewed work of other recent charter review groups

• Reviewed articles and white papers pertaining to charter revisions in Massachusetts


Key Recommendations

• Second Town Meeting during fall months• New Pre-Petition Process• New Municipal Finance Department/ Finance

Director (no change to elected officials)• Updated description of Town Administrator• Associate Members on various Boards• “Finance and Warrant Commission”


Key Recommendations (cont’d)

• Consolidate reference to all critical information concerning the structure of Town government (e.g., recall provision)

• Incorporate modern “best practices” where appropriate

• Built-in periodic charter review


Items Considered—No Changes Recommended

• No change to Open Town Meeting structure• No change to the existence, composition or length of term for

any elected office• No “precinct representation”• No artificial term limits on any of the Town’s elected officials• No creation of a so-called “strong town administrator” or a

“town manager” (for example, a town administrator or town manager with authority over all hiring)


Ongoing Process

• Request feedback• Continue to evaluate ideas and proposed edits• Expect revised draft to be included in Warrant for

January 2011• Proposal to be reviewed by Finance Commission• Consideration of Revised Charter at May 2011

Town Meeting• If approved at Town Meeting, submitted to MA

Legislature and, when approved, included on ballot of subsequent Town election


• Website: www.townhall.westwood.ma.us

• QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?

http://www.townhall.westwood.ma.us/

Town of Westwood Government and Charter Task Force Public Forum December 15, 2010 .

Documents

Transcript of Town of Westwood Government and Charter Task Force Public Forum December 15, 2010 .