Traffic jam at the Charter Committee

The Springfield Charter Committee is proving to be popular - maybe a little too popular.

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Published March 11, 2016 in the Rutland Herald Traffic jam at the Charter Committee By Susan Smallheer SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Charter Committee is proving to be popular — maybe a little too popular. The Springfield Select Board appointed seven citizen members to the committee this week, but put off appointing the two Select Board members because three members wanted to be appointed, and according to the town charter, only two can serve. Chairman Kristi Morris and Selectmen George McNaughton and Walter Martone all want to serve on the committee. And all three were the only Select Board members at Monday night’s meeting, when the appointments were slated to be made. Martone made a motion to appoint Morris, but it failed for lack of a second, and there were no other motions. Select Board members Peter MacGillivray and Stephanie Thompson both were absent: MacGillivray had undergone serious surgery earlier in the day, and Thompson was at her part-time job as Londonderry town administrator. But the three Select Board members were able to appoint seven people: Richard Andrews, Sharon Ayer, John Bond, John E. Follett, John B. Hall, Jeff Mobus and Barbara Schultz. Both Follett and Hall are former Select Board members, and Mobus was the town’s longtime finance director until last September. Both Town Manager Tom Yennerell and Town Clerk Barbara Courchesne were appointed to fill the two positions assigned to the town administration. Morris said Thursday appointing the two Select Board members would again be tackled Monday, assuming MacGillivray has recuperated enough to attend. “I’m not sure one week is enough,” said Morris, who added that MacGillivray and Martone were the two members of the charter revision subcommittee, which reviewed the dozen applications from townspeople who wanted to serve. It was Martone who had originally suggested the charter needed to be revised and updated, after 30 years. Morris said he was very interested in serving on the Charter Committee because it would be an important tool as the town works on redevelopment and revitalization projects. “The charter is just one more tool,” he said. “I’m very interested in moving Springfield forward,” said Morris, who has been on the Select Board for eight years, the last seven as chairman. http://www.vermonttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/RH/20160311/NEWS02/160319900 http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20160311/NEWS02/160319900