This is a video and agenda of the complete 11/30/11 meeting of Northampton’s Special Act Charter Drafting Committee. This recording was made by Adam Cohen. Among other things, the committee discusses whether low signature thresholds for petitions expose the City Council to the risk of being clogged by excessive petitions. The committee also discusses how taking potentially controversial positions in the proposed new charter (“poison pills”) could cause the public to reject the entire proposal at the polls. An example of such a position might include changing the City Clerk from an elected to an appointed position.
The public is invited to a forum on December 6 in City Hall Hearing Room 18 (second floor, enter building from rear). This will be followed by a public meeting on December 14 (details) to hear from those who have held municipal leadership positions in Northampton in the past.
To ensure it will meet its mid-January deadline to report to the City Council, the committee anticipates holding several public meetings during the week of January 9 to hammer out the language of the report. These will be posted to the city calendar.
Charter Drafting Committee Agenda 2011-11-30 Revised
See also:
Video & Presentation: Charter Drafting Committee Public Forum
Video: Charter Drafting Committee, Meeting of November 9, 2011