LIVE BLOG: Framingham Town Meeting - Night 11

Framingham Patch will be live blogging during tonight’s Town Meeting session on May 20.

During the live blog please excuse any typos. Framingham Patch will try to refresh as often as possible during the live blog.

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Town Meeting is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m. in Nevins Hall or when a quorum is reached.

7:35 p.m. a quorum is reached

Moderator is speaking

TEST question -- will you watch the final Letterman show tonight?

Missed vote - apologies.

Questioning of the quorum by a Town Meeting member

Told 87 people checked in.

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7:40 p.m.

Article 34

Eric Johnson will be making the presentation

six street acceptances to be approved

Angelica dRive

Lakewood Avenue

Walkers Waty

Haleah Lance

Jay Lane

Saratoga Lane

3 in the eastern part of the town and 3 in western part of town

There are 150+ unaccepted streets in the town

these would be the first streets accepted under special legislation

Angelica, Lanewood and Walkers -- developed in the 80s

petition from residents on Angelica drive

33 lost on these 3 streets

Haleah, Jay & Saratoga -- approved for acceptance by TM in 2005 - under subdividsion control law

they have remained as private streets

Haleah needs to be a public weay.

Committee reports

Steven Shoal - 8-0-0 in favor standing committee on planning & zoning

Planning Board report - Christine Long chair -- 5-0-0 to support this

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Moderator reading the streets - pass

No passes

Hand vote - 2/3rd needed to pass - unanimous.

7:46 p.m.

Article 35 & 36 & 37 & 38 Motion by Winnett to take together as non controversial articles.

Hand vote - passed

Article 35 Winch Street and Millwood Lane

Article 36 - Riverpath Drive

Article 37 - Concord and Hartford street easement

Article 38 - Old Connecticut Path

articles are easements

Discussion --

Yael -Reed Academy was it consulted?

Johnson -- school property will not be acquired

Corecting something -- where the layout was too narrow for a car

Landowner was contacted

VOTE on 35-36-37-38 all at once

hand vote -- passed -- unanimous

7:51 p.m.

Article 39

Disability commission

Karen Dempsy - TMM3 speaking

chair of the disability commission

reduce commission from 9 to 7 members

reason why came about - first started 13 years ago -- we ultimately thought lets do 9 as big town and lots of issues.

as years went by had a hard time keeping seats filled.

Motion made - bylaw to change to 7 commissioner - state statute does allow it.

Vote was 5-0-0 by commission.

over the past few years we have been pretty steady with 7 commissioners.

Committee reports

Karl Rookey - chair of the government study committee

favorable action 6-1-1

Discussion

hand vote -- passes with one in opposition

7:57 p.m.

Article 40

Karl Rookey -- chair of the government study committee speaking

Beginning Nov 2014

size of quorum of its own governance

quorum of 5

reduce the number of appoints from 12 to 9

Membership has fluctuated between 5 and 9 members

proposed bylaw change - remove one appoint from each appointment cycle and bring total to 9

9 is the same as fin com

odd number

quorum of 5

Committee voted to submit the article 6-0-0

VOTE - hand vote -- one hand in opposition - PASSES

7:58 p.m.

Article 41

Sponsor Government Study Committee

Karl Rookey speaking as chair

october 2014 -- reviewed real property quorum requirements

16 members

10 town meeting members

6 selected by other town board

Must have a quorum of 6 town meeting members.

11 of 16 members could be present without a quorum.

committee recommended -- quorum increased by 1 to 7 by number of town meeting members by 2.

largest number of members present with a quorum reduced from 11 to 9.

• Ned Price - chair of real property committee speaking supported unanimously

hand vote -- passes

8:02 p.m.

Article 42

• Sponsor -Elderly & Disabled Tax Relief Committee

Karl Rookey - chair of the government study committee

recommend support 7-0-0

hand vote -- passed - one in opposition

Article 43 referred back to sponsor

8:04 p.m.

article 44

sponsor rules committee

Joel Winnett - TMM 7 speaking chair of the rules committee

Executive session minutes are not included in the bylaw

changes with wording for public meetings

Minutes -- maintains log of meetings & minutes

Ex Session minutes be included in that log - when held and when minutes are released.

open meeting law states minutes from closed door sessions should be reviewed periodically but does not define when periodically is - month, annually, etc.

releasing minutes to the public.

School Committee & Keefe Tech posting them on their own sites

Karl Rookey - chair of government study committee

revisits an issue TM looks at last year

case of executive session

bylaws do not specific how and when they should be made public

not sure if all boards have a policy on making these public

there should be an official policy for managing closed door sessions

Committee voted in favor 5-0-0

TM discussion

Dick Weader - TMM4 -- speaking --

Karl Rookey speaking -- brief conversation with the Town Clerk -- will take up that issue going forward with government study

JW -- most cases Town Clerk receives them electronically

Hand vote -- passes with 2 in opposition

8:13 p.m.

Article 45

Jennifer Thompson -- assistant Town Manager is speaking

partner with Jack’s Anny sampling of product at MetroFest -- require a one-day alcohol for Sept 26

require a change in town’s bylaw

Karl Rookey -- government study committee 7-0-0

Hand vote -- about 5 opposed - PASSES

Kevin Crotty- TMM7 - speaking

Town Meeting is completed

8:19 p.m.