20220512 City Council Legal Affairs Committee Meeting Minutes Estelle M. Rand-Chair
Todd C. Rotondo
Brendan S. Sweeney
LEGAL AFFAIRS /CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, May 12, 2022, 6:OOPM
City Council Chambers, 311 Floor, Beverly City Hall, 191 Cabot St.
Rand called to order the Legal Affairs meeting at 6:00pm.
Committee Members present: Brendan Sweeney, Estelle Rand
Committee Members absent: Todd Rotondo
Other Councilors present: Hannah Bowen, Steven Crowley, Julie Flowers, Kathleen Feldman(arrived at
6:05pm), Scott Houseman(arrived at 6:06pm)
Rand called to order Committee of the Whole at 6:02pm when Councilor Bowen arrived.
Order Date to Description Action Taken
Number Committee
#075 3/7/2022 Tim Flaherty, Charter Review Committee Final Report Approve with
amendments 2-0
#079 3/7/2022 City Solicitor-Process for local approval of home rule Receive and place on
petition to amend the City's 1995 Home Rule Charter file 2-0
Article 4
Sweeney stated he is comfortable taking the recommendation from the Charter Review Committee on this one
and moving it along in the process to go to the full council and voters.
Bowen stated the scope of responsibilities for the school committee has grown and that was part of the reason
for this.
Feldman and Houseman joined the meeting.
Flowers stated she could see the value in having school committee members who are thinking across wards.
Rand considered the division of the districts, one district would represent wards 1, 2, and 3 and the other would
be 4, 5, 6. There are pros and cons to that district separation.
Bowen said there was discussion of"at-large" school committee members rather than the two districts. The idea
was to have areas with some similarities grouped together.
Sweeney asked for clarification if this would go before the voters at the next regular municipal election in 2023
and would not be in effect until preceding the 2025 election.
City Solicitor Stephanie Williams confirmed.
The motion to adopt Section 4-1(a) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 4-1(b) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 4-1(c) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 4-1(e) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 4-1(f) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 4-2 as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and seconded.
A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 4-3 as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and seconded.
A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
Section 6-3 (formerly Section 6-2)
The motion to adopt Section 6-3(a) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 6-3(b) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
Article 7
There was some discussion over the changes to the preliminary election signature requirements.
The motion to adopt Section 7-1 as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and seconded.
A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-2 as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and seconded.
A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-3 as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and seconded.
A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-4 as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and seconded.
A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-6 as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and seconded.
A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-7 as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and seconded.
A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
Bowen summarized the Charter Review Committee's discussion around Section 7-8. This part of the charter
should be accessible to citizens.
The motion to adopt Section 7-8(a) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-8(b) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
Houseman asked about the 10% of registered voters threshold.
Bowen stated there was some discussion about that but the Charter Review Committee decided to keep the
threshold where it was.
Houseman suggested having someone, such as Gerry Perry, do an analysis of the municipal election turnouts to
compare the numbers.
There was discussion about keeping the balance so it is accessible but also not too low.
7-8 c as recommended b the Charter Review Committee was made and
The
motion to adopt Section
p ( ) Y
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-8(d) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-8(e) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-8(f) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-8(g) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-8(h) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-9(a) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
I
Beverly City Council Committee on Legal Affairs Meeting Minutes—May 12,2022 page 2 of 3
i
The motion to adopt Section 7-9(b) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-11 as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and seconded.
A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-13 as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and seconded.
A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-14(a) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-14(b)(3) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-14(b)(4) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-14(c) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-14(d) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(2-0).
The motion to adopt Section 7-14(e) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
There was some discussion on the impacts of this if the mayor's term was changed to four years.
The motion to adopt Section 7-14(g) as recommended by the Charter Review Committee was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (2-0).
The motion to receive and place on file Order#079 was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion
carried(2-0).
The motion to recommend for consideration by the Council as a whole the provisions of the City Charter for the
City of Beverly as voted upon by the Legal Affairs Committee was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and
the motion carried(2-0).
The committee members and councilors thanked those who were involved in the process.
There was some discussion over the timeline of the final vote.
The motion to adjourn Committee of the Whole was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion
carried (7-0).
The motion to adjourn Committee on Legal Affairs was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion
carried(2-0). The meeting adjourned at 7:34pm.
Beverly City Council Committee on Legal Affairs Meeting Minutes—May 12,2022 page 3 of 3