Summary: |
The Open Space Implementation Sub-Committee was established as a sub-committee of the Conservation Commission in 2005. The members were formally appointed by the Town Council in October 2006 (Council minutes excerpt attached.) The sub-committee itself has never been included in the Code of Ordinance. The new terms ordinance passed by the Town Council in December 2008 did list the sub-committee separately (attached; see Section 13), and outlined it as having 7 members. Currently the membership of the sub-committee stands at 9 members, with 8 positions filled and 1 vacancy (see attached for the current membership. These members were re-appointed on December 22, 2008, as part of the
reorganization of all committee terms.) The sub-committee feels that they need 9 members in order to do their work.
The Council has several options in this instance and should discuss how best to proceed: 1. Reduce the committee to a standard 7-member committee; 2. Revise the new terms ordinance to reflect a 9-member committee; 3. Revise the Code of Ordinance to add the Open Space Implementation Sub-Committee as a full committee in its own right. This third option would also require the revision of Article III, Division 5, Sec. 2-76 of the Code of Ordinances, which details the duties of the Conservation Commission. Until now, the Open Space Sub-committee has been responsible for some of this work. If they become their own committee, those duties would need to be assigned to them and removed from the Commission. Technically, as a sub-committee, the OSIC should pass their information through the Commission before it reaches the
Council. Establishment as a standing committee would eliminate this step and allow them to report directly to the Council on matters relating to the acquisition, development and maintenance of Open Space in the Town. |
