First meeting on city’s charter set for Dec. 5
Date: 11/29/2011
Nov. 30, 2011By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
CHICOPEE — The first steps toward either charter revision or a new charter for the city will take place on Dec. 5 with an introductory planning meeting.
City Solicitor Karen Betournay explained to Reminder Publications that both elected and appointed city officials, department heads, the city’s legislative delegation, the Valley Opportunity Council, the Chamber of Commerce and others have been invited to the meeting, which will be conducted at the Chicopee Public Library at 11 a.m.
Stephen McGoldrick, deputy director of the Collins Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston, has been hired to facilitate the discussion about the charter change, Betournay said. McGoldrick has worked with a number of other communities that sought changes to their charters and he will go over the various options available to the city.
She explained the city could write a new charter, revise the present document or amend it.
A quick examination of the present charter shows the number of times it has been amended, such as most recent changes made in 1976 1987, 1991 and 2009.
The issue of charter change was prominent in the recent discussions concerning the extension of the term of the mayor from two years to four years.
Following McGoldrick’s presentation will be a time for questions and discussion.
