Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Civic Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select Board member proposes town-appointed inclusion committee; board endorses formation and liaison
Summary
A Select Board member proposed creating a town-appointed inclusion committee to review policies, provide training guidance, partner with schools and help implement the town's declaration; the board endorsed creating a committee of about five to seven members and named the proposing board member as liaison.
The Select Board discussed a proposal to create a town-appointed inclusion committee to implement and advance the town’s declaration on inclusion and equity.
A board member (who earlier introduced the idea and said she consulted with a state official, Katie Whitney) recommended forming a committee charged to review town policies, recommend updates to remove bias and barriers, provide guidance and training to town departments, partner with schools and community organizations, and promote ongoing community education about inclusion and belonging.
The proposal recommended a small committee (the presenter originally suggested seven members) composed of a Select Board member as a liaison, representatives from emergency services and the schools (or their designees), and two at-large community members; the board discussed making the committee five to seven members to ensure quorum flexibility and including a youth slot. Members would be appointed through letters of interest and would operate under public meeting law because it would be a board-appointed advisory body. The Select Board chair indicated they could create the committee and appointed the presenting board member as the Select Board’s representative to the new committee. The board similarly emphasized clarifying the committee’s scope (advisory to the board with no independent policy-making authority) and asked staff to circulate the charge and solicit volunteers.
