City Council - Rules & Government Relations Committee

CITY OF EASTHAMPTON OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL Easthampton Municipal Building 50 Payson Ave., Ste. 100 Easthampton, Massachusetts 01027-2260 Telephone #: (413) 529-1460 4/28/2020 MINUTES (Approved) RULES and GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Meeting 4/28/2020 Attendees: R&GR Committee Members: Councilor Thomas Peake, Chair Councilor Peg Conniff, Clerk Councilor Dan Rist Other Attendees: Sara Amoroso Homar Gomez Dave Boyle Meeting called to order at 5:30pm. This meeting was held virtually via teleconference as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the order from the Governor allowing this method of meeting to be allowed during this time. The meeting was also videotaped. 1. No minutes to approve. 2. Sara spoke of the importance of communicating to the public of the hard work of the Charter committee in 2019. Spoke of support for Youth Voting being included. Also RCV for all offices. 3. Discussed the potential process for approval of City Charter. Dan Rist discussed how the changes with Attorney Tanner were presented. Peg Conniff discussed the formatting of the document prior to going to full City Council should be cleaned up. Tom Peake mentioned that there were things left undone from the last committee that should be considered. Dan R. be- lieves these things should be handled differently/separately. 4. Further discussion around whether we convene a new committee for those items outstanding from the prior committee. Also, there may be amendments to the existing document under review that can be considered. 5. Peg C. recommends that the existing document be completed first before we expend energy on a new committee. Although we do agree that they could work concurrently. 6. Tom P is open to creating a new committee to approve the current document. Dan and Peg disagree and believe it should remain in committee. 7. Dan Rist made the following motion A. Move that the document as created by the 2019 Charter Review Committee with possible edits presented by the city attorney to the Rule Committee. Second by Peg Conniff Approved 3-0 8. Discussion around Senior Volunteer Work off Program. What is left to do? Peg reported that we still need 1 additional resident to volunteer for committee. 6:45 pm - Meeting was adjourned Next Meeting: 5/28/2020 @ 5:30pm