In Plymouth, the nine-member Charter Commission has been at work since their election last May, listening to residents, and officials from other communities.
These communities have strong Town Meeting charters as well as strong Town Council forms of government. And, at their meeting Monday night, it was decision time.
Bobbi Clark has more…
Bill Abbott chairs the Charter Commission. He says the group took an important vote.
“As to whether we’re going to create a charter which retains our, current Town Meeting—but much improved, of course, or whether we basically get rid of Town Meeting and move to a Town Council form –which is like anywhere from 13 to 20 people, instead of Town Meeting,” said Abbott. “The vote was 6 to 3 to stay with Town Meeting.”
But, Abbott, says, it will be a very different Town Meeting.
“Not the Town Meeting you’re used to—it’s going to be completely different. We bring in the Committee of Precinct Chairs, which is a committee formed of the chairmen of the 17 precincts in Plymouth,” said Abbott. “We’re going to look to give that committee more powers that can operate in between Town Meetings. It will be a type of council.”
And the role of the Select Board will also be addressed:
“They play a role of long-term policy making. But the Town Meeting, we think, needs fixing in several serious respects—in terms of its Advisory Board which advises them how the Town Meeting operates, the size of the Town Meeting,” said Abbott. “It’s going to be a completely revamped and modernized and reformed Town Meeting.”
The next meeting of the Charter Commission is Monday evening, the 14th at Town Hall at 7 p.m.
