Governance Committee Adjusts Working Plan

Holiston Reporter

The Governance Committee (GC) met remotely on Thursday (6.24.21) for the purpose of making adjustments to its working plan.  Sam Tyler, Chair of GC, called the meeting to order at 5:11PM. Len Engel called in to attend the meeting, and Paul LeBeau was absent.

Tyler provided a basic overview of the work anticipated to span a 3-year period.  The following list is an approximation of the plan.

Work to be prepared for recommendations for the October 2021 Town Meeting:

  • The Board of Assessors—specifically the selection procedure of the Principal Assessor of the Board of Assessors
  • Response to recommendations of the MA Division of Local Service Technical Assessment Bureau (LSTAB) report recommendations. This work is dependent upon date report is received and will continue through timeline.

Work to be prepared for recommendations for the May 2022 Town Meeting:

  • A review of the Town Administrator position
  • Creation of a Capital Planning Committee
  • The selection procedure for the Town Clerk.
  • Response to LSTAB recommendations

Work to be prepared for recommendations for the October 2022 Town Meeting:

  • Response to LSTAB recommendations

Work to follow:

  • Review of the Municipal Modernization Act
  • Review of the Select Board
  • Unfinished business

The Governance Committee will meet with the Select Board on Monday, June 27, at 6:30 PM to review this plan.

Committee members next reviewed “homework”—that being researching assigned towns from the “Comparable Towns Table” posted on its website: https://www.townofholliston.us/governance.

Tyler reviewed an email sent from the Town to Committee members concerning the use of emails and texts.

GC member Tina Lingham (above) resigned from the Committee as of the conclusion of the Monday evening’s Select Board meeting. Tyler voiced his appreciation for Lingham’s different perspective and new thinking and thanked her for her time. He said, “Your insight was helpful to us, and we’ll miss you.”  Len Engel said, “You were a great partner in taking on a chunk of our work.” Lingham commented, “It was good to work with all of you.  I’ll support you from my seat in the Town Meeting.” 

The meeting adjourned at 6 PM.