HomeMy Public PortalAboutGovernment Study Committee -- 2015-05-21 Minutes Approved: 06/04/2015
VOTE: 5-0-0
2198 Main Street
oro 9� Brewster,Massachusetts 02631-1898
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GOVERNMENT STUDY COMMITTEE
will hold a Regular Meeting
on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.
at The Brewster Town Office Building, 2198 Main Street, Brewster, MA
Meeting Minutes of May 21, 2015
Present: Chair Colin Odell, Chris Kenney, Jerri Carlin, Dave Whitney, Todd
Montgomery, and Elbert Ulshoeffer.
Absent: Don Arthur
The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm
Fideo&Audio Recording or Taping Notification: "As required by the Open Meeting Lmv we are informing you
that the Town will be audio taping this meeting. In addition if anyone else intends to either video or audio tape this
meeting they are required to inform the chair."
1. Public Speak— 5 minutes maximum each speaker
There was no one available for public speak.
2. Review and approval of minutes of May 14, 2015
Motion made by Dave Whitney to approve the meeting minutes of
Alay 14, 2015 as presented. Jerri Carlin seconded.
VOTE: 6-0-0
Government Stud),Committee
Meeting Minutes of May 21, 2015 Page I of 6
3. ��Tork Session - Phase I Deliberations
There was a review of the list headers:
1. Assess Town Departments, Boards, and Committees
I a. Examine Day-to-Day Operations
I b. Explore Improved Processes and Procedures
2. Evaluate Changes to Town Government
3. Enhance Town's Planning Efforts
4. Increase Public Engagements — this was changed during
discussions to "Increase Public Awareness and Engagements"
5. Strengthen Town's Financial Capabilities
The original primary list from April 30, 2015 was then reorganized into the list
headers following discussion.
PRIMARY LIST FROM APRIL 30, 2015 MEETING
• Golf Review of optional operations**
• Human Resource Department*****
• GIS* - ivas eliminated from the list,
• Town Meeting Review*****
• Review Appointment Policies of Standing Committees
• Review Appointment vs. Elected positions****
• Comprehensive Planning****
• By-law Review**
• Research of Alternative Revenues
• Charter Review pros and cons****
• Library Review*
• .Optional forms of administration Chapter 43c,i 1, 12, 13*
• Investigate expanding the use of enterprise accounts**
• Review of Fee Structures Chapter 40, 22F*
• Organizational Chart Review
• Omnibus Budgeting* - eras eliminated f•om the list
s Regular Unfunded Mandate review
e Committee Structure Review"
• Regular Committee Training**
• Project Process*
• IT Road map plan/ 3 to 5 years***
• Track Citizen Complaints*
• Written Communications Plan**
Government Study Committee
Meeting Minutes of May 21, 2015 Page 2 0f6
• Review Land Use Permitting
• Regionalization/Assessing**
• Participatory Budgeting**
• Discussion of Unfunded Liabilities*
• Private Roads
• Term Limits**
• Increase public engagement""
• Collaboration of town and schools***
The final determinations are as follows;
1. Assess Town Departments, Boards, and Committees
I a. Examine Day to Day Operations
o Optional forms of administration Chapter 43c,11, 12, 13
o Organizational Chart Review
o Regular Committee Training
o Regular Unfunded Mandate review
I b. Explore Improved Processes and Procedures
o Human Resource Department""*
o Review Appointment Policies of Standing Committees
o Review Appointment vs. Elected positions****
o Committee Review *
o Regionalization/Assessing*
2. Evaluate Changes to Town Government
o Town Meeting Review*****
o By-law Review**
o Charter Review pros and cons****
o Review Land Use Permitting
o Term Limits**
3. Enhance Town's Planning_Effo is
o Comprehensive Planning****
o Library Review*
o Project Process*
o IT Road map plan/ 3 to 5 years*** (include GIS)
Govern hent Study Committee
R9eeting Minutes of May 21, 2015 Page 3 of 6
4. Increase Public Awareness and Engagements
o Town Meeting Review*****
o Track Citizen Complaints*
o NL 7ritten Communications Plan**
o Participatory Budgeting**
o Private Roads
o Increase public engagement""
**
o Collaboration of town and schools***
5. Strengglien Town's Financial Ca abilities
o Golf Review of optional operations**
o Research of Alternative Revenues
o Investigate expanding the use of enterprise accounts**
o Review of Fee Structures Chapter 40, 22F***
o Discussion of Unfunded Liabilities*
There was a lengthy discussion on the Brewster's Ladies Library. How
different libraries operate in area towns was explored and there was a brief
review of the operation of the Town of Brewster's Ladies Library. Capital
expenditures at the Library and public vs. private libraries with the different
benefits of each were briefly discussed. Contributions by the Library
Association `dere reviewed. The current library lease was briefly reviewed.
There was a review of what should be included in the IT Road map plan and it
should include all benefits and costs to the town. There was a brief review of
town code and bylaws including land use permitting.
There was a brief discussion on unfunded liabilities and what was included in
this area. There was a review of Enterprise accounts and how they work and
several examples such as Recreation and Water were given as current enterprise
accounts in to«Tn.
The final list headers were further discussed and identified. It was felt that all
items should be ranked under each category.
I. Assess Town Departments, Boards, and Committees
I a. Examine Da), to Day Operations
o Optional forms of administration Chapter 43c, 11, 12, 13*
- Inspectional Services, Finance (Treasurer, ,4ssessor,
Government Study Committee
R9eeti7g Minutes of May 21, 2015 Page 4 of 6
Collector, Beaches), and Economic Development and
bringing related positions under one umbrella to streamline
the process. It is felt that Inspectional Services and Finance
would be the areas to concentrate on.
o Organizational Chart Review — Current rnanagenrent and
reporting are in conflict with town code and needs to be
realigned and could be done along with the bylaw review.
o Regular Committee Training —Keeping committee
members up-to-date on pertinent regulations and
responsibilities as well as processes and rules of the town
committees they are appointed to and beyond the open
meeting law and the ethics and conflict of interest laws.
o Regular Unfunded Mandate review — costs to town to
meet current regulations.
1 b. Explore Improved Processes and Procedures
o Human Resource Department'`**** - The town needs to
centralize the knowledge needed for healthcare,
hiring/frying, and other personnel policies as a support
person to Department Heads.
o Review Appointment Policies of Standing Committees-
Implement a standardized public process of the
appointrsxent pr•ocedures,for standing conunittees.
o Review elected vs. appointed positions"" —Board of
Selectmen, Town Moderator, and School Committee should
be the only elected positions. All others should be
appointed to attract more expertise to the standing
committee. (Planning, Health, and Recreation)
o Committee Review**- Review the number of conunittees
and multiple memberships,
o Region alization/Assessing* - The town should be
proactive in using county resources as a standard
operating procedure where appropriate.
Government,Study Committee
Meeting Minutes of Maj,21, 2015 Page 5 of 6
At this point the committee decided to continue this process at their next
meeting.
4. Other items the Chair did not anticipate
There were no other items discussed.
=Schedule of the next meeting
The next Government Study Committee meetings are to be held on June
45 2015 and June 11, 2015 and June 25, 2015. The Board of Selectmen
will be invited to the June 25th meeting to review Phase I and ask them
what their expectations are for Phase II. It will be determined if the
Selectmen will call the meeting or the Government Study Committee will
call the meeting on June 25`h.
[6.77Adjourmnment
Motion made by Jerri Carlin to adjourn the meeting at 8:07 pm.
Dave Whitney seconded.
VOTED: 6-0-0
Respectfully submitted,
Gv`�l
Donna J. Moberg, Recording Secretary
Items used at this meeting:
• Draft Minutes of May 15, 2015
• List Headers e-mail
• Primary List from April 30, 2015 meeting
Government Study Committee
Meeting Minutes of Ma},21, 2015 Page 6 of 6