Back to Advisory Committee Minutes
February 17, 2011 Meeting Minutes
Hingham Town Hall
Present: Committee Members Manning, Asher, MacCune, Ellison, Eldredge, Friedman, Innis, Kirven, Marwill, Power, Pyles, Dwyer, Farrell, O’Meara, Johnson
1. Call to order
Chair Jack Manning called the Advisory Committee meeting to order at 7:02 PM.
2. Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the February 1, 2011, February 3, 2011 and February 8, 2011 meetings were approved by a unanimous vote of the members present.
3. Warrant Articles
The AdCom was joined by the Board of Selectmen for the hearing of warrant articles.
The following articles were heard and voted on as noted below:
Article N: Meal Tax Stabilization Fund. The AdCom voted unanimously to re-open this article and then voted to approve the article (Members Ellison, Power, Innis and Dwyer voted no).
Article MM: Amend General By-law re: Procedures at Town Meeting
Bernard Manning, representing the petitioners, requested the AdCom members to recuse themselves due to what he believed to be a conflict of interest. After a brief discussion—during which it was noted that the AdCom members did not have a financial interest in the article and upon a motion duly made and seconded—the AdCom members voted unanimously not to recuse themselves. Mr. Manning objected to AdCom acting on this article and asked that his objection be noted for the record.
The AdCom voted unanimously to recommend “No Action” on Article MM.
Article NN: Sale of Town-owned Golf Course
The AdCom voted unanimously recommend “No Action” on Article NN. Amy Farrell recused herself.
Article OO: Elected Advisory Committee
Bernard Manning, representing the petitioners, requested the AdCom members to recuse themselves due to what he believed to be a conflict of interest. After a brief discussion—during which it was noted that the AdCom members did not have a financial interest in the article and upon a motion duly made and seconded—the AdCom members voted unanimously not to recuse themselves. Mr. Manning objected to AdCom acting on this article and asked that his objection be noted for the record.
The AdCom voted unanimously to recommend “No Action” on Article OO.
Article PP: Electoral Reform
During the hearing it was noted that Town Counsel had deemed this Article to be unconstitutional.
The AdCom voted unanimously to recommend “No Action” on Article PP.
Article QQ: Committee Appointments to be Approved by Board of Selectmen
The AdCom voted unanimously to recommend “No Action” on Article QQ.
Article RR: Main, Cushing and South Pleasant Street Traffic Lights
The AdCom voted 13-1 to recommend “No Action” on Article RR.
Article SS: Term Limits
During the hearing it was noted that Town Counsel had deemed this Article to be outside the authority of Town Meeting.
The AdCom voted unanimously to recommend “No Action” on Article SS.
Article TT: School Committee Disqualification
During the hearing it was noted that Town Counsel had deemed this Article to have no legal authority.
The AdCom voted unanimously to recommend “No Action” on Article TT.
Article XX: Affordable Housing Trust
The AdCom voted unanimously to approve Article XX.
4. Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 10:08 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Greg MacCune, Secretary