ROCKPORT — The author of the only petition article appearing on the fall Town Meeting warrant says he'll amend his proposal from the podium Monday night.
As written, the Article J petition, penned by Charles Francis, calls for a bylaw change in the appointment authority for the Finance Committee from selectmen to the moderator. After hearing concerns from many, including Town Moderator Bob Visnick, about creating a one-person appointing authority, Francis agreed to amend the article as suggested by Visnick.
Visnick offered an alternative solution where the chairmen of the Bylaw Committee and Board of Selectmen and town moderator appointed Finance Committee members.
"It's not what we consider to be our best idea, but it was an opportunity to get a compromise," Francis said.
Currently, selectmen appoint Finance Committee members to three-year terms.
Francis said some residents believe the integrity of the Finance Committee's independence from the rest of town government is compromised under current town bylaw.
That's a claim disputed by Finance Committee Chairman Jim Gardner.
"We are concerned that the effect of the warrant article is to give the public the impression that the autonomy of the Rockport Finance Committee either has been or will be compromised, and is so jeopardized that a change in the town by-laws is necessary," Gardner wrote in a letter to the Times. "We believe the premises and assumptions underlying these recent statements are without basis. None of the members have witnessed or experienced any attempts to sway their deliberations or steer their decisions by either the town administrator or the members of the Board of Selectmen."
Those who signed the petition — at least 100 signatures are needed for a petition to appear on the fall warrant — believe otherwise.
"There are often conflicts between the opinions of the Board of Selectmen and those of the Finance Committee resulting in undue pressure being exerted on the Finance Committee and ultimately its recommendations," Francis said last month.
Selectmen Chairman Sarah Wilkinson has said "fairness and pressure have not been problematic issues since she has been on the board."
Francis predicted some would view the petition article as retribution for the board's role in not re-appointing former Finance Committee Chairman Sandy Jacques earlier this year.
However, Francis said the Jacques matter was not his motivation, but rather it is an effort to correct what he sees as an imbalance of power between the citizens and selectmen.
"The Finance Committee feels that whatever occurred with regard to the selectmen and Sandy does not really pertain to the autonomy of the Finance Committee," Gardner said. "What happened between the selectmen and Sandy is between (them) and doesn't require a sense that the selectmen are out to get the Finance Committee."
The Bylaw Committee has agreed it would support the article if the amendment were passed.
"If Town Meeting approves the amendment, we'd support it," Bylaw Committee Chairman Barbara Dapolito said yesterday.
Dapolito said that, if the article passed as amended, selectmen would have to address it at spring Town Meeting and put forth a request to the state Legislature to approve the change in the town charter. She also suggested the trio should be called an "Appointment Committee," as the trio of officials who appoint Bylaw Committee members are called.
Gardner said while he couldn't speak for his fellow Finance Committee members, he didn't believe the committee would support the article as amended.
"That sort of arrangement is unique in Massachusetts towns, and my guess is that people at Town Meeting would find it odd Rockport would be the only town in the commonwealth with this curious (trio) of officials appointing the Finance Committee," Gardner said. "The Finance Committee is trying to make a statement that we're trying to find ways to work effectively with the selectmen, town administrator and other key parts of town government. That's our intent, and putting in place these new bylaws that presume ill intent I don't think is necessary — and doesn't help us in our primary goal to work together with these folks to benefit the town."
Francis cites a recent survey by the Association of Town Finance Committees, an independent municipal organization, that showed moderators appoint finance committee members in approximately 70 percent of Massachusetts towns.
"Only 14.5 percent of towns have finance committees appointed solely by the Board of Selectmen," Francis said, "and only 1.3 percent have appointments made by selectmen in combination with some other entity."
Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.
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