Table of Contents
Despite the closing of the Town Warrant, Select Board Chair Michelle Prior will be submitting an article regarding Finance Committee members serving on other boards, commissions and committees after the board failed to act on the proposal at a recent meeting.
The warrant closed Sept. 23, the same night the Select Board discussed the issue.
“Select Board members can put articles on the warrant,” Prior said, of the action. “I’m going to put it on.”
Her proposal will read: “No person holding elective or appointed, other than Town Meeting member, and no employee of the town shall be allowed to serve on said committee (the Finance Committee) provided nothing herein prohibits a member of said Committee (the Finance Committee) from serving on another board, commission or committee when such service is permitted by the bylaw, charter or vote of Town Meeting,” which would seem to prohibit Finance Committee members from serving on other committees except when they can, primarily by a vote of Town Meeting.
An earlier proposal consisted of only the first clause in the proposal, i.e. “no person holding elective or appointed, other than Town Meeting member, and no employee of the town shall be allowed to serve on said committee (the Finance Committee),” but was amended by Prior to allow Town Meeting to appoint members of the Finance Committee to other bodies if deemed necessary, usually to provide financial advice.
In other words, Finance Committee members can’t serve on other boards, commissions or committees unless Town Meeting wants them to.
“If they’re invited into these positions, let them serve, but they have to be asked,” Prior said.
The proposal will also limit the Finance Committee to 15 members with staggered three year terms, so five seats will be up for election each year.
During the Sept. 23 meeting, other Select Board members were uncomfortable with the proposal, but Michael Bettencourt finally made a motion for a vote after coming to an understanding of the full wording. No one seconded the motion, however, leading Prior to say she will introduce the article at Town Meeting herself.
The matter was also discussed at a previous Select Board meeting Sept. 9.
“It’s not convincing we should change,” member Anthea Brady said at the time.
Prior answered, “It’s up to Town Meeting to change the bylaw. We’re just putting this forward.”
Bettencourt and member Bill McGonigle also disagreed over the matter.
“We have a great benefit from them (Finance Committee members) being on committees,” Bettencourt said. “It involves financial implications other members don’t have. It would be harmful not to have members on the Capital Planning Committee. It’s expected we weigh in and the Finance Committee weigh in.”
McGonigle, however, liked the original proposal, but not the amended version.
“The Finance Committee should be an independent body. Members should just be on the Finance Committee,” he said. “I can’t support any bylaw which would expand their role, which undermines their role as advisors. I don’t think they’re supposed to be in policy making positions. They’re supposed to be in advisory positions. It takes away from their responsibility, which is to provide neutral advice to Town Meeting. Having a vote has a ripple effect. It gives the imprimatur of the whole Finance Committee. Why can’t they continue as non-voting members?”
“They would have more trust as a non-voting member,” McGonigle answered.
Bettencourt said all this might involve changing the bylaws for every committee.
McGonigle answered it would and should.
“I see it as a very large change in the bylaws,” he said.
Member John Fallon, who was absent Sept. 9 and 23, may have changed the dynamic of both meetings. He could have cast a deciding vote with Prior and Bettencourt in favor of the proposal and Brady and McGonigle against it.
