League’s Public Charter Review Series Begins This Weekend
Photo: City of Landcaster, PA
Source: League of Women Voters Amherst
The League of Women Voters Amherst (LWVA) Charter Review Task Force is continuing its review of the Amherst Home Rule Charter in relation to League good government principles. The Task Force will be hosting a series of public Zoom discussions on questions related to potential Charter Amendments. Save the dates and spread the word.
Dates (including Zoom links):
Sunday, March 17th, 2:00 – 3:30 PM Town Council (Article 2) Financial Policies and Procedures (Article 5)https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82820853930?pwd=MD4VEgnNHPUQh59b30AGHPPAbvbTr6.1
Sunday, April 14th, 2:00 – 3:30 PM Town Manager (Article 3) Incorporation Powers (Article 1) Elections (Article 7)https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83271559250?pwd=hESFauTfCYXMtW7r7teejAi5RTSayf.1
Sunday, May 5, 2:00 – 3:30 PM Public Participation (Article 8) Transition Procedures (Article 10)https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83034246172?pwd=0z9cTpybUhSjPnmxrl8OEY4bNlYcQL.1
The public is cordially invited to participate or just listen in. The first part of the discussion will be the presentation of potential amendments to the Charter, how they may relate to good government principles, and how five years of experience has demonstrated whether an amendment is or is not needed. We will then open to public comments.
Background
At the LWVA’s 2022 annual meeting, members voted to conduct a review of the Amherst Home Rule Charter in anticipation of the town-required review in 2024. The vote created the Charter Review Task Force. As its first task, the charter review team conducted a charter review survey. The task force concluded that many survey respondents are not fully satisfied with how the Amherst government is functioning. It also found that among the 13 Massachusetts towns that use Amherst’s form of government, it is a common practice to amend home rule charters. The task force is now collecting information on whether amendments or revisions of specific provisions to the charter are warranted, based on the LWVA’s good government principles (see below). The committee will also observe the town’s charter review process, and update the steering committee as to new developments. The task force will provide a report, potentially including recommended amendments tied to the LWVA good government principles, and will note issues raised by officials and the public at the upcoming municipal meetings on this subject.
Last August, the Town Council created a charge for the 2024 Town Council Charter Review Committee. In council discussion, it was agreed that the next council should appoint the members and that its committee would probably not begin work until this coming July.
