Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Civic Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council advances ceremonial resolutions for public comment amid committee disagreement
Summary
Council discussed two resolutions — one rejecting hate and bigotry and another restating commitment to the Constitution — and agreed to circulate the proposed text for public comment; the communications committee said it did not support the constitution resolution and sought edits to the hate-and-bigotry draft.
The council considered two resolutions: one "rejecting hate and bigotry" and another "reiterating the town's commitment to the Constitution." The town manager read the committee review: the equity and inclusion and parks committees supported both resolutions; the communications committee reviewed them and voted not to support the constitution resolution and requested edits to the hate-and-bigotry draft but had not submitted those edits.
Councilmembers debated wording changes and whether the resolutions are appropriate for the town to adopt. One councilmember said the impetus for the first resolution came from resident Lucy Freeman and urged publishing the proposed resolutions in the Town Journal to solicit citizen input. Another councilmember representing the communications committee said the committee viewed the constitution resolution as "out of the town's depth and too political," arguing that the town need not take a public position on those broader matters.
There was no recorded roll-call vote to adopt either resolution. Several councilmembers said they would move the hate-and-bigotry resolution forward with minor edits and circulate both drafts for public comment and committee input before final action.
What happens next: Council asked that proposed text (including suggested edits) be published in the Town Journal for public comment and that members circulate any edits in advance of a future adoption action.
