Charter commission adopts inventory approach for boards and commissions; staff to request recent activity records

Commission staff presented a draft master spreadsheet cataloging every town board and commission referenced in the charter and code. Members asked staff to prioritize charter-established bodies, reach out for written input and produce a simple activity report (meetings held, major actions) to determine which entities are actively serving the town and which appear dormant.

Why it matters: The commission is charged with recommending charter revisions; determining which committees belong in charter text (long-term institutions) versus code or temporary assignment affects governance, oversight and public transparency.

Staff member Franklin told the commission he created a spreadsheet showing which boards are established in charter versus in town code and which had submitted comments. Commissioners asked him to contact chartered boards first and to request a short report of activities for calendar year 2024 and, if feasible, a five‑year summary of meetings and actions to help spot underused or redundant bodies.

Commissioners discussed practical thresholds for retiring or moving committees out of the charter, noting some bodies exist by ordinance or were created as ad hoc committees. The group agreed staff should first request 2024 meeting counts and a short list (five items) of substantive activities during the last five years; that data will inform recommendations on whether a board should remain in charter, be codified in ordinance or be abolished.

Franklin will update the master spreadsheet with responses and flag boards with little or no activity. The commission also asked staff to provide a separate tab of charter-established bodies so commissioners can focus their review. No formal charter changes were adopted at the meeting.