1. Northampton Charter
Review Committee
Councilor Jesse M. Adams
Colleen Currie (Secretary)
Councilor Marianne L. LaBarge
Councilor David A. Murphy
Alan Seewald (Vice-Chair)
Margaret Striebel
Sam Welson (Chair)
1June 9, 2010 7-9 P.M.
Present: Jesse Adams, Colleen Currie, Marianne LaBarge, David
Murphy, Alan Seewald, Margaret Striebel, Samuel Welson
Documents: Amesbury Charter Commission Final Report 1996
http://www.ci.amesbury.ma.us/Departments-Clerk-
Official Town /Documents (left side of screen)
Chapter 189 of the Acts of 2005 - An Act Establishing a
Mayor/Town Council for the Town of Braintree
http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws
The City of Easthampton Home Rule Charter as amended
by Chapter 60 of the Acts of 1999
http://www.easthamptonweb.com/charter/index.html
Town of Greenfield Charter, as amended;
(use search box on Greenfield home page (key
word: charter)
Chapter 105 of the Acts of 2005 - An Act Providing a
Charter for the City of Melrose
http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws
West Springfield Home Rule Charter, recommended by
Charter Review Commission in 2000.
http://www.west-springfield.ma.us (departments – Town
Clerk)
Charters for Newton and Weymouth not printed.
http://www.ci.newton.ma.us/lega (scroll past Ordinances
to Charter)
http://www.weymouth.ma.us (Quick Links – Documents)
Ground Rules (Best Practices)
Public Participation Policy (Best Practices)

2. http://www.northamptonma.gov/bestpractices
MINUTES (DRAFT)
Agenda
1. Review and approve minutes from previous meeting
Councilor LaBarge moved to approve minutes for April 28.
Ms. Currie seconded the motion.
No discussion.
All members voted to approve the minutes.
Ms. Striebel moved to approve minutes for May 26.
Councilor LaBarge seconded the motion.
No discussion.
All members voted to approve the minutes.
A note was made to ask City Council President David Narkiewicz
whether all members of the City Council should receive copies of the
minutes of each of the Committee’s meetings.
There was discussion about attachments to minutes of handouts at
meetings.
[2. Changes or additions to agenda.]
3. Establish ground rules for this committee by reviewing
“Best Practices” ground rules as a starting point and adopting
or modifying them for this committee.
Ground Rules (from Best Practices)
Mr. Welson read the Ground Rules
Discussion re #7 - (Everybody will follow the “no surprises” rule.
Concerns should be voiced when they arise, not later in the
deliberations when a “surprise” objection is raised.)
There will be times we want to revisit an issue. Ground Rule #7 is
designed to avoid using delay as a strategy to have the last word.

3. Discussion re #9 (Each person reserves the right to disagree with any
proposal and accepts responsibility for offering alternatives that
accommodates their interests and the interests of others.)
How should disagreements be recorded? Not necessarily by name, but
as part of discussion.
We accept Best Practices Ground Rules as our own.
4. Establish public participation policy for this committee by
reviewing “Best Practices” public participation policy as a
starting point and adopting or modifying it for this committee.
Public Participation Policy (from Best Practices)
Mr. Seewald read the Public Participation Policy
discussion re:
(1) public comment at any meeting?
at beginning or end?
(2) inviting citizens to join Committee in discussion of any or all
agenda items; method of recognizing citizens who wish to speak
Councilor Adams proposed: (1) there be public comment allowed at
the beginning of meetings, with each speaker allowed three minutes,
and with comments limited to Charter Review issues; and (2) the
recognition of citizens during meetings may occur by agreement of a
majority of the committee.
Councillor LaBarge seconded the proposal.
vote - five in favor; one opposed; one abstention
[5. Review and discuss information collected to date. [See
agenda for details of this agenda item.]
6. Using information gathered to date, begin to work on an
action plan that will map out the work of the committee. [See
agenda for details of this agenda item]

4. PLAN OF ACTION
Suggestions included:
dividing up the existing Northampton charter among Committee
members and presenting portions at each meeting, including
comparisons with modern charters;
reading the charter together;
using a more modern charter as a template to create a charter
for Northampton.
recommend the appointment of a charter review committee.
compare the existing Northampton charter to a more modern
charter, and state which we recommend
make a recommendation whether the charter should be
a home rule charter or a special act charter
identifying specific issues to be addressed
not identifying specific issues, but rather, if our recommendation
is to scrap the current charter and adopt a modern version,
provide information about the conceptual advantages, e.g., a
better definition of executive and legislative responsibilities
review all samples of modern charters (documents listed above),
and identify those we prefer
Agreements - Not to dissect current charter
Identify better model - concepts not included in ours
Perhaps recommend method - special commission vs.
special act
Perhaps recommend ordinance committee

5. 7. Review future meeting dates. A number of committee
members have expressed concerns that the monthly schedule
is too infrequent.
Next meeting was moved from July 14 to July 28. (Ms. Currie and Ms.
Striebel will be away July 14.)
[8. Discuss alternate meeting locations.]
[9. Other business.]
Adjourned - 9:05 P.M.

6. 7. Review future meeting dates. A number of committee
members have expressed concerns that the monthly schedule
is too infrequent.
Next meeting was moved from July 14 to July 28. (Ms. Currie and Ms.
Striebel will be away July 14.)
[8. Discuss alternate meeting locations.]
[9. Other business.]
Adjourned - 9:05 P.M.