Committee members were: Darcy Dumont, Marla Jamate, Julian Hynes and Janet Potash
Town Charter Review 2024
LWVA's "Good Government" Principles
1) Widespread and inclusive participation
2) Diversity in the community reflected in government
3) Openness and full disclosure
4) Checks and balances of power among the executive, legislative, and administrative branches of government and the electorate
5) Honesty and non-corruptibility in all decision-making
6) Efficiency based on professional management and timely decision making
7) Accountability for political and fiscal decisions
Report on the June 2 Member Meeting
June 13, 2024
On June 2 the LWVA held a Zoom meeting to review the Amherst Home Rule Charter
Committee’s recommendations. An interesting and productive discussion ensued, and the
members agreed to support 16 of the Task Force’s 20 recommendations, in some cases with
minor revisions to wording. Below are the recommendations supported by the membership. All
recommendations are based on advancement of one or more of the League’s Good Government
Principles.
CHARTER PREAMBLE
Develop and add a Preamble to the Amherst Home Rule Charter, outlining the Town’s
goals for good government, and including a mission and values statement. Such a
statement, as appears in Charters of some other Massachusetts municipalities, could
address Town goals on issues such as (but not limited to) affordable housing, racial
equity, and climate change.
TOWN COUNCIL (ARTICLE 2)
1. Shorten the current period between election and inauguration of councilors to be no more
than 3 weeks.
2. Lengthen and stagger terms for elected offices.
3. Provide each town councilor with an equal opportunity to have a voice and vote on
Standing Council Committees.
4. Provide the Town Council with the power to hire its own legal counsel or analyst.
5. Require a second in order for a counselor to postpone discussion under Section 2.1
TOWN MANAGER (ARTICLE 3)
1. Delineate more clearly the powers of the Town Manager.
2. Require applications for seats on town committees and boards overseen by the Town
Manager to be public records, with the consent of the applicant.
FINANCES (ARTICLE 7)
1. Provide, at minimum, a period of public comment at the beginning of all regular Council,
Standing Council Committees and multiple member bodies.
TRANSITION PROVISIONS (ARTICLE 10)
1. Include a recommitment to implement the 5 programs listed in Article 10, including with
robust state legislative advocacy
a. Ranked Choice Voting
b. Participatory Budgeting
c. Creating a position of Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator
d. Permitting non-citizens to vote in town elections and to hold town elective office
e. Lowering the voting age for town elections
Consider new advocacy for:
2. Local elections in even numbered years to coincide with national elections.
3. Continued hybrid Council and virtual Council Committee meetings.
4. Allow, advocate for electronic signatures on all types of resident petitions under Section
8.
TOPICS FOR FUTURE STUDY: Annual meeting voted on June 13, 2024 to conduct the following two studies, given members interested in working on the studies. 1. Study changing to a Council/Mayor Form of government, with or without a manager, in order to have an elected executive (ARTICLE 1). 2. Study if a voter veto resident vote should be required to be the same percentage in the affirmative as the original vote being challenged in order to pass (ARTICLE 8).