Charter Committee Votes on Article IV Recommendations

FRAMINGHAM - Members of the Framingham Charter Committee voted on recommended amendments to Article IV of the city's Home Rule Charter during their most recent meeting on February 8.

The article is related to the School Committee as well as other elected groups such as the Board of Library Trustees and Cemetery Trustees.

Members of the commission voted in favor of the proposed addition of a stipulation that no member of the School Committee or similar groups can hold another elected position within the municipal government simultaneously. The heads of those divisions, such as the school superintendent, would also be subject to periodic performance reviews by elected officials.

Vacancies within the first 18 months of a two-year term on the School Committee would be filled through a special election, should the Charter Committee's suggestions be added to the Home Rule Charter. A preliminary vote would be held within 60 days following a vacancy, with a special election following 35 days later. Any vacancy after the 18 month mark of a term would be filled during the subsequent normal election.

Chair of the Charter Committee Adam Blumer noted that the latter mandate is a little different than the School Committee's recommendation of 20 months as opposed to 18; he contended that there could be too quick of a turnaround before a regular election if the cutoff for a special election was within 20 months of a 24-month term.

Blumer reminded residents that all matters regarding potential changes to the Home Rule Charter will still be up for a public review as well as a vote from the City Council following the Charter Committee's final recommendations. He added that "...nothing is final until everything is final."

“Before we actually send this report," Blumer continued, "if people have burning thoughts on what we did right, wrong, or should do more of, they can still make those comments and we can still consider them.”