The Town council discusses multiple proposed charter change amendments at its July 21 meeting.
Photo credit: West Side Media
WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Town Council approved 16 proposed charter review ballot questions during its July 21 meeting.
These questions were submitted by the Charter Review Committee for approval from the Town Council and mayor.
With Town Council approval, the charter changes will be sent to Mayor Will Reichelt for his approval.
If approved by Reichelt, the suggested revisions will be listed on the ballot in the fall where residents will have the final say.
The ballot questions cannot be sent to the ballot if the mayor or Town Council denies them. It must be unanimous between the two parties.
At the beginning of April, the town of West Springfield announced the kickoff of its 2025 Charter Review Committee, in accordance with the West Springfield Home Rule Charter, which mandates a review every 10 years.
This year’s committee consists of seven members, including four appointees by Mayor William Reichelt and three Town Council appointees in accordance with the Home Rule Charter.
The mayor’s appointees were former Mayor Ed Gibson, former Town Council President Kathy Bourque, Public Safety Commission member Brian Harrington and resident Stephanie Gendron. The Town Council’s appointees were Town Council President Sean Powers, Councilors Anthony DiStefano and Jaime Smith.
Powers explained that the committee spent the four meetings breaking down each individual section for review and deciding whether certain sections needed clarity if they were too vague.
Powers stated they discussed general comments as well as heard from residents, neighbors and friends.
The Town Council discussed and voted on the suggestions on July 21. The suggestions were also heard and discussed at the ordinance and policy subcommittee first.
Most of the changes were an update to the language for each section to make processes clearer and more concise.
Other amendment changes were completed to increase government efficiency, modernize procedures, ensure compliance with state law and current practice and make the charter clearer and more accessible to citizens.
The approved changes included allowing legal notices to be published on the town’s official website in addition to or in place of newspapers.
The committee recommended the addition to increase public visibility.
The Town Council also clarified that town councilors will begin their term upon swearing in no later than the fifth business day of January.
The current language indicated that the term begins on the first secular day of January, Jan. 1, which is not when councilors have historically been sworn in.
The approved changes also established that vacancies will be filled by majority vote of current council members, with clear eligibility criteria if there is no available candidate.
For School Committee provisions, Section 4-2 and 4-6 were updated to reflect that chair and vice chair serve for the entire term rather than until the next election.
Like the Town Council, School Committee vacancies will also be filled by majority vote of current committee members.
For the Board of License Commissioners, Section 6-7 is an approved update that removes the prohibition on those with connections to the alcohol industry from serving on the board.
The current language prohibits anyone involved in the alcohol industry from serving on the board and the committee felt this eliminated a category of individuals who would have relevant and useful knowledge and experience from serving on this commission.
For elections, the changes provide clear rules for determining candidates advancing from preliminary elections, including procedures for ties.
With citizen petitions and referendums, the changes fix inconsistencies and clarifies timelines and terminology. It also updates the voting threshold and discusses reconsidering the 20% voter turnout requirement for citizen-initiated measures to pass.
