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HomeMy Public PortalAboutGovernment Study Committee Draft 1 ReportTown of Brewster Government Study Committee Draft Phase 1 Report July 9, 2015 Committee Process •Town Administrator •Assistant Town Administrator •Planning Board and Town Planner •Chair, Board of Selectmen •Finance Committee and Finance Director •Deputy Assessor •Building Commissioner •Natural Resources Director •DPW Superintendent •Treasurer •Three interested citizens •Town Clerk •Police and Fire Chiefs •Moderator •Golf Committee and Director of Golf Operations •COA Director •Board of Health and Health Director •Ladies Library Board and Director •IT Director •Town Counsel •Three former Selectmen •Committee has met 24 times since its initial meeting on 7/15/2014 •In developing this report the Committee: •conducted a public survey with over 600 responses •conducted a public forum •invited / interviewed numerous Town boards, commissions, committees and employees Initial Findings •The Committee has identified five major areas that warrant further examination by: 1.Assessing Brewster Departments, Boards, and Commissions A.Examine day-to-day operations B.Explore opportunities for improved processes and procedures 2.Evaluating changes to Brewster town government 3.Enhancing Brewster’s planning efforts 4.Increasing public awareness and engagement 5.Strengthening Brewster’s financial capabilities 1.A -Assess Brewster Departments, Boards, and Commissions Examine day-to-day operations •Explore optional forms of administration under Ch 43c, 11 and 12 •Inspectional services and finance functions •Organizational chart review •Better align management and reporting structure with Brewster Town Code •Develop requirements for regular review of unfunded mandates by department heads •Regularly solicit support for necessary changes from legislative representatives •Implement improved training for board, commission and committee members •Beyond current Open Meeting Law and Ethics requirements •General training on relevant Brewster by-laws •Specific training for board, commission and committee responsibilities 1.B -Assess Brewster Departments, Boards, and Commissions Explore opportunities for improved processes and procedures •Establish a Human Resources Director position •Unanimous recommendation of Brewster department heads •Better manage major cost center •Difficult to keep current on HR issues and regulations •Centralize knowledge and management of HR functions •Improved support for department heads •Establish uniform policy for standing committee appointment process •Require public interviews as part of the process •Examine elected vs appointed committees •Should committees not required by State law to be elected be appointed? •Potential hybrid elected/appointed models •Review of Brewster Boards, Commissions, and Committees •Number of committees •Overlap of responsibilities •Multiple membership •Appointment and removal procedures •Utilization of County resources/regionalization •Utilize County resources where available and appropriate •Establish a standard procedure for process 1.B -Assess Brewster Departments, Boards, and Commissions Explore opportunities for improved processes and procedures 2. Evaluate changes to Brewster town government •Town Meeting Review •Different day and time? •Electronic voting •By-law Review •Examine by-laws for inconsistencies and conflicts with State law, Town By-laws, and internal policies •Charter vs Special Legislation vs Status Quo •Town Administrator or Town Manager •Open Town Meeting or Representative •Review land use planning •Examine by-laws for inconsistencies and conflicts with State law, Town By-laws, and internal policies 3. -Enhance Brewster’s planning efforts •Comprehensive planning/Brewster Master Plan •Lack of Local Comprehensive Plan creates government by reaction •Critical concern expressed in interviews and surveys •Demands outside consulting skills to complete process •Library Review •Clarification of Town and Library responsibilities and Library employee status •Preparation for third lease cycle •IT Road map •Develop comprehensive inventory of current systems and identify current needs and voids •Develop 3-year plan to integrate IT structure, connectivity, software platforms, etc. •Utilize State and County resources where available and appropriate 4. -Increase public awareness and engagement •Explore ways to encourage and capture citizen feedback •Complaint resolution policy, feedback tracking, easier means of offering feedback….. •Establish a written Communications Plan •Enhance communication methods to go beyond “Its on TV”. •Explore participatory budgeting •Small level of open funding similar to a local grant process •Unique way to establish public interest and participation in budget process. •Increase understanding of private road regulations and betterment process 4. -Increase public awareness and engagement •Establish a written process for initiating Town projects •Early public engagement and input to reduce complaints and problems later in the process •Enhance Town / School collaboration •Student internships •Community service 5. -Strengthen Brewster’s financial capabilities •Review of Captain's Golf Course •Document historic economic impacts •Examine operational options -Town operated, lease operation, sale •Research alternative revenues •Room occupancy tax •Recreation sticker for things like tennis •Impact fees •Investigate expanded use of enterprise accounts •Golf and recreation in addition to Water Department •Initiate efforts to explore legislative action to add allowable areas •Review of fee structures -Ch 40,22f •Establish Selectmen as oversight body for setting all fees •Examine appropriateness of all fees •Investigate current practices on handling unfunded liabilities •Explore “lockbox” by-law Next Steps