Here are YouTube videos of open comment sessions hosted by Northampton’s Planning Board on September 11 and September 12. Members of the public gave feedback on proposed revisions to zoning in urban residential districts URA, URB and URC (look under Hot Topics on the Office of Planning and Development web page). These videos were recorded […]
Best Practices
Video and Documents: Campaign Finance Reporting
Here is a YouTube video of training in campaign finance reporting provided by Jason Tait, Director of Communication & Public Education at the Massachusetts Office of Campaign & Political Finance. The training took place on 6/28/11 in Northampton’s City Council Chambers. The video is 1 hour 29 minutes long and was recorded by Adam Cohen. Following […]
Video: Michael Janik Campaign Kickoff Speech
Michael Janik is running for one of the two City Councilor At-Large positions. Here is a YouTube HD video of his campaign kickoff speech yesterday at the World War II Club. This video is 8 minutes long and was recorded by Adam Cohen. Michael Janik Campaign Kickoff Speech – June 04 2011 See also:Gazette: “Ward […]
Video and Slides: Open Meeting Law Training
Here is a complete YouTube video of the 5/25/11 Open Meeting Law training session presented at Northampton High School by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, followed by the slides and the current guide to the Open Meeting Law. The video is 1 hour 44 minutes long and was recorded by Adam Cohen. AGO Open Meeting […]
Ward 6 Councilor Marianne LaBarge to Stand for Re-Election
As released to the press today: I, Marianne LaBarge, am announcing my candidacy for Re-Election as City Councilor in Ward 6. I have served Ward 6 and in the City of Northampton since 1996. I will be completing my 7th term this year. I would be honored to serve my residents and City again. I […]
Video: Zoning Revisions Committee Reviews Dimensional and Design Standards Proposals
Here is a complete YouTube video of the 3/30/11 meeting of Northampton’s Zoning Revisions Committee. This video is 1 hour 54 minutes long and was recorded by Adam Cohen.The committee decided to recommend more lenient rules for home occupations and to codify rules for urban chickens. These will next be reviewed by the Planning Board.The […]
December 13: Workshop on City Council Meeting Format
The public is invited to attend this workshop in City Council Chambers: Workshop on Council Meeting Format 12-13-2010 See also: Video: Ordinance Committee Discusses Public Comment Periods (10/12/10) Selected quotes from this discussion: Maureen Carney, Ward 1 City Councilor: “The concerns that I’ve heard from our colleagues (councilors) is that when it gets to be 11 […]
Online Public Hearings Resource Guide
Planning Commissioners Journal provides a valuable Online Public Hearings Resource Guide free to the public. Click the headings below. Order a larger article on this subject here. 1. Consider Conducting Preliminary Project Reviews 2. Hold a Meeting in the Neighborhood 3. Have a Plan for Citizen Participation 4. Conduct a Site Visit 5. Make Your Meeting Noticeable 6. Review the Agenda […]
Minutes: Charter Review Committee Hears from Higgins, Bardsley, Narkewicz, Plassmann
Here is a draft of the minutes of the 10/6/10 meeting of Northampton’s Charter Review Committee. The committee received input from Mayor Clare Higgins, former City Councilor Michael Bardsley, and City Councilors David Narkewicz and Angela Plassmann. Charter Review Committee 10-06-2010 Minutes Draft See also: Video and Documents: Charter Review Committee Meeting of 5/26/10; Origins of Northampton’s […]
Video: Ordinance Committee Discusses Public Comment Periods
Here is a complete blip.tv video of the 10/12/10 meeting of Northampton’s Committee on Elections, Rules, Ordinances, Orders and Claims. The latter part of the meeting (starting at 1:04:30 on the video) includes a discussion of the public comment periods at City Council meetings and “Concerns Expressed about City Council meetings running past 11:00 PM and […]