Springfield charter hearing is Monday

Select Board Chairman Kristi Morris is hoping Monday night’s final hearing on the revised town charter attracts more attention.

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Springfield charter hearing is Monday Rutland Herald | February 04, 2017 By SUSAN SMALLHEER STAFF WRITER SPRINGFIELD — Select Board Chairman Kristi Morris is hoping Monday night’s final hearing on the revised town charter attracts more attention. Morris said Friday that while the Select Board did adopt three changes raised at this week’s hearing, he was disappointed that only two residents showed up for the hearing. Aside from members of the town’s charter review committee, the five Select Board members and the press, only two members of the public attended, according to Morris. Morris said the lack of interest could be interpreted in two ways — demonstrating either confidence in the job the Select Board is doing, or a lack of interest. The changes the board adopted after the Jan. 30 public hearing include restoring the original provision in the charter regarding the disposal of town-owned property, Morris said. He said that Town Attorney Stephen Ankuda had recommended the restoration. The other two changes, Morris said, were very minor, dealing with language and a misused word. Morris said that Ankuda and Town Manager Tom Yennerell had requested the restoration of the original language regarding town property. The new language now calls for the Select Board to pass an ordinance to govern the acquisition or disposition of town property, which will outline the procedures for handling property, Morris said. The language also states that the Select Board may acquire or dispose of real property, according to the ordinance. Morris said the charter review committee had recommended following state law, but research by Ankuda revealed the statute was vague. “The state statute wasn’t clearly definitive about the disposal of property, and the town attorney recommended we put the original language back in,” Morris said. The town acquires property via tax sales, he said, noting that just last week the town purchased two buildings on Main Street. The other changes include the requirement that the town hold a public informational hearing “consistent with state law” whenever the town is voting an issue by Australian, or secret, ballot. The town currently does that, Morris noted. The other issue dealt with the effective date of ordinances adopted, amended or repealed by the Select Board, because of a word that was out of order, he said. The Select Board i s expected to give its final approval to the charter changes Monday night, after the last public hearing about the changes. The final hearing starts at 6 p.m. at the town hall. Voters will decide whether to adopt the changes during Australian balloting at town meeting.