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) 529-1400, ext. 460 Fax #: (413) 529-1417 MINUTES RULES AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Meeting 03/9/23 Attendees: R&GR Members: Councilor Dan Rist, Chair Councilor Koni Denham, Clerk President Homar Gomez Remote Attendance: Other Attendees: City Clerk – Barbara LaBombard Meeting Called to Order at 5:30 pm. The meeting was video recorded. Minutes approved Councilor Denham moved. Chair Rist 2nd - Vote unanimous (2-0) 1. Old Business A. Administrative Code change – a. Quorum for CRC change to 7, with four members able to meet and vote. b. Councilor Denham – Supports change. Important for committee to be able to c. Chair Rist moved to change CRC 7 appointees. Denham 2nd Vote – (2-0) B. Charter 2-10 a. Chair Rist – Used an older version submitted. Changes has to be 60 days or it contradicts what is happening later in the document. Concerned about this now. 45 days for 13 years. b. Councilor Denham – Concern that 60 days will increase opportunities for discrimination against candidates. The focus of the change is on rejection of candidates. This should not be our focus. This has not been an issue for over 26 years. City Council already has measures in place to address problems. c. President Gomez – What happened a few months ago. Agree with Councilor Denham’s comments. Concern was originally about not having quorum. No recommendation for City Council, by charter they would have to be appointed. The Charter allows us to call for an emergency meeting. It is only has happened twice. d. Chair Rist – Agrees that this is about rejection and has not been a concern. We don’t want to slow down city business by prolonging the appointment process.  e. Barbara LaBombard – Sometimes get an appointment early. The date the appointment paperwork. Can’t do anything with it. If received in June after meeting. f. President Gomez – Change language to “Date is set upon referred to committee.” g. Chair Rist – Used to be 30 days. h. President Gomez – Concern about future council members – Rejection why needed i. Chair Rist – Mayor appointments. Creates delays. 45 days allows apply to time to refer. Going to refer to council for vote. j. Barbara LaBombard – sometimes appointments two weeks old before referred to council. k. Chair Rist – Would like to keep it the same, but change the approval process to start at the time the Council receives the application, instead of when the application is received by the Mayor’s office. C. Compensation 3-1 a. Chair Rist – Language change for salary. Doesn’t feel the city attorney should be making decisions for community. b. Barbara LaBombard – If the ordinance spells it out, then why do you need this in the Charter? c. Chair Rist – If its not in the Charter can someone argue against it. Suggestion to add to charter. d. Barbara – Wouldn’t change it all. e. Chair Rist – Made motion to not change 3-1. Denham 2nd. Vote 2-0. D. Vacancy 3-9 a. Chair Rist – relied on city attorney to provide guidance on vacancy. b. Barbara LaBombard – Looked up cities with 4 year mayor. A special election. Selected 39 months. c. Chair Rist – Currently 9 months. Acting Mayor as one term. City Council President would lose their position. d. President Gomez – Is Mayor and acting Mayor defined? e. Chair Rist – They are defined. f. Barbara LaBombard – the Acting Mayor has all powers. g. Barbara LaBombard – If Mayor resigned in The special election. 120 days, 39 months. If the vacancy occurs in 9 months. h. Chair Rist – Attorney may not support this. i. Barbara LaBombard – Council President or city councilor would be acting Mayor. j. Chair Rist – If the vacancy occurred in September, no time to get on ballot. k. Councilor Denham – To save the city money, if the vacancy happens within the same calendar year as a scheduled election then why not have the interim Mayor serve until the date of the election? l. Barbara LaBombard – Other cities have similar guidelines for vacancies that happen in the same year as an election. m. Chair Rist – This works and its saves the city money. We can provide similar language to the attorney and get his feedback. 6:40 pm - Motion to adjourn – Chair Rist, moved Councilor Denham – 2nd. Vote unanimous (2- 0)