The Governance Committee (GC) met on Thursday evening, February 4, 2021, for the purpose of reviewing its draft articles.  Chair Sam Tyler called the remote meeting to order at 6:33 PM. 

Following the approval of minutes of the January 11, 2021 meeting, Tyler led the Committee through each of the Articles they plan to share shortly with other Town Boards and Committees.  Five Articles include:

• A Budget Development Article
• Changes to Article I Town Meetings
• Changes to Article IV Finance Committee
• Changes to Article XXXIII Capital Improvement Program
• Changes to Article III Select Board.

Members made few, if any, comments about the edits of Draft Articles I, IV, XXXIII, and III. These four articles have been changed because of the effect on each by the Budget Development Article.  

All changes, edits, additions, deletions and corrections to the draft had been highlighted in a shared electronic document.  This enabled everyone to focus on member edits and revisions.  Discussion on the Budget Development Article consumed a majority of the meeting time, as no budget development process presently appears in Holliston’s By-Laws. 

The Committee will begin to schedule meetings to share the draft with Town Officials, Boards and Committees.  These meetings will provide the GC with further opportunities to adjust and fine tune their work. The GC anticipates presenting the Articles for inclusion on the Warrant for the Spring Town Meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 7:40 PM.