10/15/2007 Annual Town Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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I, Article 13. Amend Mashpee Town Charter. Submitted by: Board of Selectmen. This Article is based on the rationale that a Charter amendment will increase membership on some appointed boards and committees by allowing the members of elected boards and positions, including the f Board of Selectmen, School Committee,Library Board of Trustees,Planning Board and the two elected town positions,the Town Clerk and the Town Moderator,to be appointed to volunteer boards and committees. The second provision of the proposed amendment would have the opposite effect by prohibiting one elected to a town office from either holding another elected town office or hold full-time employment during their elected term. .j Section 3-1(c)was made a part of the Charter, not to limit individuals from serving on town committees and boards,but rather to encourage more individuals to become involved, and was further included to limit,actual or perceived, conflicts of interests caused by individuals serving on multiple boards. Amending a Charter requires a 2/3 approval vote at Town Meeting,plus it must pass as a ballot question at a town election. A simpler procedure, if the Board of Selectmen want to appoint a particular member of an elected board to an appointed one, could be accomplished by a Bylaw amendment,which would only require a majority vote at Town Meeting. Some Charter opponents cite it as a cause for a decrease in community involvement on municipal boards and committees; however,the Finance Committee would suggest that rather than amending the Charter, a better first step would be for the Board of Selectmen to take a more pro-active role in identifying and recruiting individuals to serve on the various boards and committees. Certainly there is plenty of talent in Mashpee's resident pool. As possible examples, some years ago the School Committee appointed an un- paid Volunteer Coordinator. Over the course of time that coordinator developed a cadre of some 400 individuals a year who volunteer in the school district,many of whom were not parents of students. Perhaps that approach would work at the municipal level. A second thought would be to appoint a short- term recruitment task force whose function would be to speak to groups, organizations, and condominium i and home owners associations to recruit possible board and committee appointees. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDSDE `EA�T OF ARTICLE 13. j Article 14. Authorize Easement. Submitted by: Board of Selectmen. This Article will grant NSTAR an easement for installation of a utility pole to provide electricity for the Heritage Park field expansion. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TOWN MEETING AA _tt_ OF ARTICLE 14. V Article 15. Authorize Licensing of Yard Sale. Submitted by: Town Clerk This Article proposes a Bylaw requiring an application and license to conduct a yard,house,garage and/or barn sales and establishes regulations pertaining to the conduct of such sales. Two sales per calendar year will be permitted. The Town Clerk's Office will administer the applications and issue the licenses;the Police Department will be the enforcing authority. The Board of Selectmen are expected I to establish a licensing fee. THE FINANCE COIVMTTEE RECOMMENDS TOWN MEETING APPROVAL OF ARTICLE 15. 5