Conference 7.286::maynard

171.0. "CHARTER COMMISSION" by SENIOR::IGNACHUCK () Wed Sep 20 1989 00:10

    This note is created as a result of the comments in note 170.
    
    In May, the voters of the Town of Maynard accepted Chapter 43B
    of the Mass. General Laws, known as the "Home Rule Amendment",
    and they elected nine voters to serve as the Charter Commission.
    
    This allows the Town to create a form of government that IT
    determines to be in the best interests of the Town.  The only
    rules for a Town the size of Maynard are that we must continue
    to elect a Board of Selectmen, a School Committee and a Moderator.
    After that, the Town can choose to combine, eliminate, or create
    Boards, Offices and processes that best serve the needs of the 
    citizens of the Town.  We can make elected offices appointed, or
    appointed offices elected.  We can write a recall provision, and
    we can refine the budget process, and so on.  The final Charter 
    must be accepted by the voters at Town Election.
    
    I am the Chairman of the Charter Commission.
    
    The quality of the comments in note 170 shows me that there are a
    lot of concerned citizens with opinions as to what's wrong and what's
    right with the the way the Town is run.  We need your input, either
    through this conference or, if more convenient, through a note directly
    to me.   
    
    So, with that in mind, how would you like your Town???

    I haven't attended a School Committee meeting since my kids graduated
    in 1980.  I did attend the series of meetings regarding the police and
    fire dept. and renovating the empty schools.  The general feeling of
    the people who attended those meetings is:  we acknowledge the need; we
    have little confidence in the ways things will be implemented.  My rent
    will go up whether there's a tax increase or not, so that's not an
    issue with me.  I'm 4th generation of my family living here in Maynard,
    and my kids and I are being eaten alive by the cost of existing, not
    just in Maynard but in Mass.
    
    I have no solutions, but I'll work for anyone who does.
    
    Karen