Charter Review Committee

The 2019 Charter Review Committee was active from February 5, 2019, until December 12, 2019, upon submission of its report to the City Clerk.

FINAL REPORT DOCUMENTS

Members 

  • Stan Moulton, Ward 1
  • Robbie Sullivan, Ward 2
  • Dylan Gaffney, Ward 3
  • Sam Hopper, Ward 4
  • Bob Boulrice, Ward 5
  • Patty Healy, Ward 6
  • Mollie Fox, Ward 7
  • Bill Dwight, City Councilor At-Large (Legislative Branch)
  • Lyn Simmons, Chief of Staff,        (Executive Branch)
  • Alan Seewald, City Solicitor (Non-Voting Member)

Meetings

The Charter Review Committee met the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Most meetings were held in the hearing room at City Hall unless otherwise noted. Agendas and meeting meetings are available below. 

The Charter Review Committee worked from this Google Doc. Here you are able to see the Charter, the notes of the Committee and proposed changes. 

Edits to this document were made as a result of discussions at public meetings of the Charter Review Committee.

Image of Charter Review Committee Public Forum on Elections flyer

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

Most Recent Agenda | View All Agendas and Minutes


About the Charter Review Committee

Chapter 9. Charter Review Committee

[[1]HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Northampton 10-18-2018 by Ord. No. 18.152. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Ch. 9, Affordable Housing Trust, adopted 9-3-1998 (Ch. 2, Art. XLIII, of the 1977 Code), was repealed 12-4-2014.

§ 9-1. Establishment.

A special committee is established to conduct a review of the City Charter, to be conducted at ten-year intervals in years ending in a nine, in accordance with Section 10-6 of the City Charter.

§ 9-2. Membership; term.

  1. The special committee shall be comprised of nine members who shall be appointed for a term commencing no earlier than January 1 and no later than July 1 in a year ending in a nine. One member shall be a member of the City Council appointed by the Council President. One member shall be an employee of the executive branch of the City appointed by the Mayor. Seven members shall be citizens of the City, one from each ward, appointed by the Mayor in consultation with the ward councilor with the confirmation of the City Council in accordance with Section 2-10 of the City Charter. All members of the special committee shall be registered voters in the City. The special committee shall be overseen by the City Solicitor.
  2. The special committee shall convene no later than 30 days after its appointment, hold meetings as necessary, and file with the City Clerk no later than December 31 of the year ending in a nine a report summarizing the special committee's recommendations with any proposed revisions of the City Charter contained therein.
  3. The special committee shall dissolve upon submission of its report to the City Clerk.

Northampton City Charter

A searchable online version of the City Charter is also available online.