2026-09-14 - Governmental Affairs and Rules Committee

01:55Yep. I'll call the meeting of the standing committee on government affairs and rules

01:59uh of September 14, 2026. I'll call the meeting to order and ask

02:03the clerk to read the preliminary statement and take the roll call.

02:10All right, Mr. Chair, hold on one second. Of course, my internet's being slow. All right. So,

02:17it is now 4:01 on Monday, September 14th at 4 p.m. Pursuant to chapter 2 of the Act of 2025,

02:24this virtual meeting of the Cape Cod Regional Government Assembly of Delegates

02:27Standing Committee on Governmental Affairs and Rules will be conducted

02:30via remote means only in accordance with applicable law. Members of the public

02:33may watch the meeting through live real-time broadcast at www.youtube.com/user/barnstable

02:40county. A public participation guide meeting documents are available in advance

02:44at www.capegod.gov. The county of Barnstable does not discriminate in the administration

02:49of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin,

02:53disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other category protected

02:57by state and federal anti-discrimination laws and regulations. Reasonable accommodations for people

03:01with disabilities are available upon request. For more information or to file a complaint,

03:05please contact Justina March, Baltimore County ADA non-discrimination coordinator at jmarcapecod.gov,

03:13call 5083756646 or visit www.capecod.gov. Members of the public may also attend the

03:19meeting remotely and that information is available online. Please note the standing

03:23committee on governmental affairs and rules may take official action on any item on the agenda,

03:28including votes on recommendations for action by the full assembly of delegates.

03:31Members of the public may participate at the discretion of the chair um for a roll call.

03:39Uh Mr. Chair, I believe first that would be Delegate Green here. Delegate Killian,

03:50are you here? Delegate Killian. Yeah, he is. He's muted. Okay. Um, Kelly here and uh, vice chair and

04:04assembly dean and finance chair. Man, you have too many roles. John Omen, we're all here. And,

04:10uh, the chair and deputy speaker uh, Carl Fryala Brewster and we we do have two we alternates as

04:19well if you need them, Mr. Chair. Great. So, uh, thanks to everyone, committee members and

04:26alternate members for showing up this afternoon. Um, let's see if we can efficiently deal with our

04:32business this afternoon. here. Item number three, and the only real matter of substance on the

04:38agenda, is going back to um resolution 2610, which was adopted by the assembly at our most recent

04:46meeting, which urges Bonstable County voters to carefully consider whether to create an elected

04:51charter study commission and cast a ballot on that question. Um the clerk has provided us with

04:58a memo and some ideas on how to how to handle it. as I see it. Um I think our function here

05:05this afternoon when you look at the resolution based upon the discussion we had at the assembly

05:11is really to put a little more meat if you will on the elements in the assembly resolution that

05:19asked the voters to educate themselves about the proposed study commission with information that's

05:24been provided on the web. Um and we thought that that information um was not as fullome as we would

05:34like it. Um and so I would entertain discussion by the members of the committee on what on two

05:44points at least. Number one, what substantive um points should we make um to further clarify what a

05:54voter should do and educating him or herself about this proposed um charter commission? And then the

06:03second thing um is how should we um uh communicate those clarifications or additional items to the

06:14public? what form should our communication take um excuse me in getting that information to

06:20the public. So with that background, I would entertain anyone who would like to begin the

06:27discussion on at least taking the first point. What what items should we clarify that we think

06:35um are not fully or appropriately addressed? What's already on the web about this?

06:50Well, maybe I can get the ball rolling. I don't see any hands

06:54yet. Oh, I do. Okay. Delegate, go right ahead.

07:02Let me see. Microphone is on. Yes. Right. Yes, it's on. Uh, one thing one thing that strikes me

07:09that um that we haven't really addressed is the language resolution. Um the what are we talking

07:19the third fourth the fourth line nine and there that says the charter creates a governing body

07:29including an assembly of delegates acting as a legislature to make laws like town meeting with

07:35a finance committee and a board and a finance committee does not say in that and I think it

07:42should that and is responsible according to the charter. for periodic charter review and I don't

07:48I thought I don't think we make assert that any I don't see where we assert that anywhere

07:53in here but it is in the charter that is a a a function delegated to the assembly of delegates

07:59clearly not the commissioners so you know it's it's been usurped I I don't want to get into an

08:06argument about it but I do think that is a fact that is salient here and I would just I mean

08:13I would propose hitting it as an a line right there as acting like a legislature to make the

08:18laws with the committee and the responsibility for periodic 5-year charter review. Okay. So,

08:27I'll stop. All right. That that's sort of a two a twofer here. I mean, you're you're suggesting

08:32a new substitive item and you're also suggesting a form which would be amending the resolution. And

08:37I was thinking the form would be a separate document and we leave the resolution speaks

08:41for itself and now we're going to have a separate document that says a few things. So let me address

08:46first the substance of what you said. I think it's appropriate uh to make the comment that

08:52you're suggesting on that the assembly does periodic review but to point out in the same

08:58at the same time that this elected charter commission would be something qualitatively

09:05different than that this charter commission would have the function that one of the assembly

09:11reviews does not have which is to completely change the structure of the county government.

09:16um our charter reviews every five years doesn't have that power. Um so this is

09:22something different and maybe people need to know um that voting for this means they're

09:30voting for potentially a wholesale change in county government from what it is right now.

09:39So I think we could tie those two together

09:51because that that also weighs on the question of the cost and time

09:57that this is likely to involve. This is a potentially a very big and very disruptive

10:06uh

10:19I I I think you're frozen, delegate. At least seems to me. Think we lost him. He

10:28may want to try turning off his camera and just trying audio. That might help a little bit.

10:34Uh oh. Yeah. Okay. I'm getting a message about that. Turn off the video. Okay. I I

10:42I can see myself. Can nobody see me? What's What's actually going on? I

10:46can see you fine right now, but you were frozen. We could still see. Yeah. Yeah.

10:56We could hear you as well. So maybe you just continue if you shut off your camera and just

11:04speak. I think that might help. You you muted uh Delegate Ali. Right. Okay. So yeah, I mean okay I

11:13don't know I don't I don't know whether that last piece came through but I do think uh what I said

11:21was I'll reiterate um that that observation by uh de Elliot Fisel does tap into then the question of

11:31the time the time involved and the potential cost of uh this kind of a charter review which foresees

11:41sees the potential for fundamental structural change in Barnstable County government. Right?

11:47And I think that's an important I think that's an important concept. This is not the routine

11:54charter review, right? I think that's the point to be made. It's not routine. It's um different

12:00than that and it can completely change the structure of the government. Um okay that's one

12:10uh overall additional point uh we could make in the um education process. Um I thought another

12:20one that could be made better perhaps is that um the public should know that even though the ballot

12:29will look kind of funny. I mean, it will first ask them to vote for somebody and then there's later

12:35on on the ballot the question whether we even want a commission for that somebody to serve on. So,

12:41um maybe we should make it clearer to people that voting for someone does not mandate that

12:50you vote yes for the commission. You can still vote for someone but still decide you don't want

12:56the commission. Um, I don't know whether that strikes people as something necessary or not.

13:05Like perhaps you could say be aware that with the unusual structure of this of this ballot

13:12that you'll be asked to vote for someone before you ask if you want the ballot that that that

13:17some that that kind of wording would go okay with me because it is odd, you know. I mean,

13:22when people look at this, I don't I' Every time I've talked to somebody about it, they go, "You

13:27got to be kidding." You know, it's it's an odd structure. Mhm. Hope it's something that doesn't

13:34exist and hope that enough people say that wants to make it exist. So, I'm not I'm I'm okay with

13:44that. That I'm sure we can clean up that language a little bit, but that's that's educational.

13:52One other thing I thought and I see other hands. Let me just make this point before I

13:56forget. One question say something about that. Let me let me let me Yeah. Oh,

14:02you want to say something about that? Yeah. Okay. Go ahead. Okay. Yeah. I have other things but um

14:08to say my feeling on this or my thinking on this is that those are two separate things

14:14and the public should know that that yes um no matter whether the there is a commission or not,

14:23it's important for you to vote for someone from your town to uh should there be um a commission,

14:31right? But in addition and the way it's structured is that you're asked to vote first which may make

14:38you think that you have to vote for it because you've already voted for a person. However, these

14:44are two separate items. Vote for somebody and then do you in any way uh aside from the person do you

14:53want this or don't you? Right. Right. Right. Thank you. Yeah. Delegate Guilt Killian, you

15:00have your hand up. Yes. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I just want to take a step back because we've

15:08obviously been discussing this for a while now and I was, you know, on board with the concept here,

15:15but I'm just wondering what we're trying to accomplish and and perhaps avoid. And I I

15:22agree we want to avoid getting into some sort of a u a a back and forth with the commissioners on

15:28this question. We do want to avoid appearing to just be battling it out with the commissioners,

15:34one branch of government versus another. I know that that does not play well with the public

15:39because they get confused. So the question is, do we want to find a way to simply break it down in

15:45very simple terms, one line to the voters about what it is they're voting for? Because I agree.

15:50I've spoken to people, even my town clerk about this particular question to kind of explain it to

15:55him. Okay. Yeah. You vote for someone and then you vote whether to do this or not do it. It's

16:00very confusing just to to people who even pay cursory attention are not really going to know.

16:06They're going to have to kind of dig into it. So the question is, do we want to come up with

16:10simply a one sentence about what this charter commission can do and may do? I'm I'm of the uh

16:18opinion that this is designed to do to create structural significant structural changes to

16:25county government and and that should that be how we coach our message to the public is that

16:32a commission is being created uh with the goal of changing the structure of county government.

16:38Let people decide if if that's what they want to do. Do they want to change the structure?

16:43I would say 80 70 80% of the people don't even know how it's structured now,

16:47let alone how it'll be structured in the future. So, it's it's going to be a challenge. And I guess

16:52my only question here is is that what we want to do? Are we are we making this more complicated

16:58than it needs to be with this resolution and these discussions we have and and what we want to do for

17:03the public and and and be able to educate them in a very simple way. It's it's one thing to to say,

17:09"Yeah, well, you know what? we think you should go check out this link and learn everything about it.

17:13I don't know. I don't think that's realistic. Uh I think we should just come up with a very

17:18simple succinct message about what this question is about. We could couch in terms of this being

17:23our our opinion, but uh I think this it's it's well based in in fact given statements that have

17:30been made over the last several years and I look forward to a discussion on that point.

17:39Okay, Delegate Green, your hands up. Go ahead and delegate. Yep. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And uh thank

17:46you, Delegate Killian, for bringing that up. Um I I think that could be a very good uh approach

17:53um from my standpoint. Um and I think furthermore, there should be an example. Um, for example, um,

18:02if the if county government is is restructured, um, uh, the citizens of Barnesville County may

18:10not have a representative, um, that represent them represents them from from your each town.

18:17Um I think that they should be what fully aware of that that um if there is a a commission that

18:25um the u right just for example right now there is an assembly of delegates and there's one person

18:34from every town if it is significantly restructured each town may not have a

18:41uh someone representing them at um the legislative branch of county government and I think that's

18:46really important. Oops. Sorry. Uh about that. Okay. It's I thought I'd put it on mute. Um so

18:54I think that's making that very clear to to the public would be very helpful. Thank you, Delegate.

19:05Thank you. Um I'm in agreement with with Dele Kan's um observation that um it's appropriate to

19:18that the of this is

19:23government

19:28on the process of updating the charter and cleaning it up and all of that kind of work that

19:32we know we were involved. So that in creating this demand, this requirement for a charter commission

19:39that would that stopped that as as council told us paused our work, paused the deliberations that

19:46we had been involved in for for quite some time over a year. um that the the the real intent of

19:54this is to bring structural change and I think as Delegate Green points out we probably should

20:02make some observation about what that structural change is likely to mean. Um if there were for

20:08instance five commissioners, you know, for those of us who on who are on this end of the Cape,

20:14uh you know, a five a fivebody board, executive board would mean that essentially everything east

20:22of the Bass River population wise, everything east of the pass Bass River would be 15. That's

20:2820% of the vote right there. Yeah, I I I I feel like people need to understand this is a a very

20:34the potential for a very drastic revision in the way county government works. I'll stop there.

20:49Okay. Deleg is is your hand up again? It is indeed. Um and to that point that uh delegate

20:57was making the reason so I was um first the select board appointed me because one of the de because a

21:07delegate infleet left the cape. Um oh goodness gracious what what happened? We can hear you.

21:16Go ahead. Oh you can hear me. Oh my screen just went black. Okay. Well, um but the next time I

21:22was uh um the next election I was opposed and the reason why I won was because the people

21:30in Wellfleet realized it was important to have someone who agreed with that very principle that

21:39um that there was one person representing each town and the other and then it just came back.

21:46Um and so and that is why um you know the people in my town I know are very very insistent that

21:57there's one person from each town and it would be um you know Dennis Yarmouth is is a cut off point

22:04that there would be one one person representing Dennis Yarmouth and then from um from Brewster

22:11and um and Haritch to Province town, there would be one person representing um that area. Um so if

22:21in a five member board, which is what um Sheila Lions at that point was advocating for. Well,

22:30I'm going to comment on this. I can't I can't I can't see anybody. Can you see see me? Yeah, I

22:36can see you. I you you're we can hear you. Um so, yes, I can see you. I I yeah I really don't think

22:43it's a good idea for this clarification to start getting into potential forms that you know could

22:50be like a five member and then from from Brewster to Provincetown is one. I don't think we should

22:57go there. I don't care if there's a commissioner who's advocating that. That's not the commission's

23:02report. we're a far from a commission report of what any potential change if we have a commission

23:10would look like. So I I think it's dangerous to start getting that specific. Uh delegate

23:15omen and then delegate harder. Oh thank you uh chair prizel. I was going to say the exact same

23:23thing. These are these are hypotheticals. There's a myriad of hypotheticals you can come up with. We

23:28really want to I think we really want to if we're going to educate we have to educate that that if

23:33you if if there is a first of all you're going to have to vote oddly that there is a commissioner

23:38and then you're going to have ask if you really want this and I think that's straight up. We we

23:42can't go with conjecture. I mean there could be seven people there could it could be nine. It

23:47could be anything. It could be none. You know it's all conjecture and it's just not worth that to try

23:53to parse something that doesn't exist yet. We have to keep it general. We have to keep it strictly

23:58educational on what this ballot question is. That's just what I think. Thank you. Delegate hard

24:06is next. Then delegate. Um, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um I I understand that point. What I um what I

24:16thought we had all agreed on was that we needed to make certain technical things clear like the fact

24:24that it was 19 member commission with the four um you know sort of appointed or you know definite um

24:39representatives from the select board. I mean from the board of commissioners and then our speaker

24:46um getting a large percentage of the vote which lowers the town's percentages. Um I know we had

24:55that somewhere and I've been looking for it but I can't find it. But I thought we had decided that

25:00that was something that we did need to educate people about because that's part of that's the

25:08technical aspect of the commission. It's not a It's not a hypothetical example. It's a this is

25:18what the votes will be. Um I do believe we did discuss that when we discussed the resolution

25:28that we should make the point potentially make the point it's 194 appointments and that it's

25:35not per capita voting, it's weighted voting. Um, and I think the public is unlikely to be aware

25:42that the voting will be uh by population, not by um um one vote, one commissioner. Um so I think

25:54that's certainly part of the education process. Delegate, that seems important to me, right? Um

26:01delegate Ali, thank you. Yeah. Yeah. I while with both the chair chair Fisel and and Dean Omen,

26:15we don't want to get into into speculation. On the other hand,

26:24we've lost you there.

26:30I don't know if I'm Am I Am I back? You're back. We lost everything you you said on the other

26:36hand. Repeat from what what you were saying on the other hand. Uh right on where was I? On the Yeah,

26:46we're not speculating, but it is reasonable to to remind to to to to remember history and there is

26:53a history on this topic and this has been a push over the years again and again. So I I think I

27:03think maybe a a for instance a switch for instance a proposal that has come up in the past repeatedly

27:13which was for five commissioners yada yada would have this effect. I I I don't I don't see how we

27:20can ignore history. We've we've been down path over and over. So I yes I I I I don't want to go

27:28into hypotheticals but to ignore where this is go we we understand it to ignore it is ignoring it.

27:37I'll stop. Delegate Killian. Thank you Mr. Chair. So I think we're probably all individually going

27:45to engage in in some type of effort to u inform the public. At least I certainly plan on writing

27:50letters to to my editor and trying to explain it to people in you know fairly broad terms. But the

27:58way I break it down to people when discussing it is that there is that there was a general

28:04u consensus among some who believe changing the the uh legislative body from part-time

28:12to full-time is what their goal is. And that's very simple for people to understand that we are

28:18a part-time legislative body and they're looking to maybe go with a full-time legislative body. And

28:23that I don't think is outside the of of the scope of what they're trying to do. I think if we listen

28:29to uh to Robert Larry when he was in about a year ago, he kind of laid it all out what they've been

28:34trying to do. So that's how I'm going to explain it to people in those terms. And and I agree,

28:39we don't want to get into the weeds of of what could happen and what could what could come about,

28:43but that's essentially been my takeaway from years of listening to those who want

28:48to restructure. That's kind of their goal. There are other nuances to it, but that's generally what

28:52it is. Uh that I think they they those who are in favor of restructuring have always sort of

28:59believed that this body doesn't do enough because we're not full-time. We're just part-time. We're

29:04volunteers. And they would like to try and change that. That's the way I would like to approach it.

29:12Delegate Green. Um, thank you, U, Mr. Chair. It's weird. I I can see no one. Um,

29:21we can hear you. You can hear me? Okay. Um, so, um, again, I I agree with um,

29:28Delegate Killian that I've heard the same thing. And I've also heard

29:34um you know Sheila Lions who's the commissioner now and a very prominent member of our select

29:41board in Wellfleet presently. I mean say you know that the she doesn't think the assembly

29:47does anything and uh would like to get rid of the assembly. So I mean there there are

29:54and she's said that publicly. I mean, there are examples of people who have pushed for this who

30:02have who have explicitly said that their goal is to get rid of the assembly. And I think it's

30:10um the the public has a I mean, if we're educating the public, I mean, we should let the public know

30:18that this is a stand of of of these people. Now, I don't think it's incumbent upon me personally

30:25to find a way to let people in my town know this. I mean, I think the assembly should take a stand

30:32um and uh and explain some examples. um whether it's you know this five person u full-time board

30:42or you know I it I just don't think that just um being having a veneer and having just uh you know

30:54surface information is really giving the public a full picture of really what's going on you

31:03know on both sides of the issue and I think It's important, I mean, to make an informed decision.

31:14Um, I don't, uh, let's see. We've been at this for 30 minutes. We have another

31:2330 minutes. Let's spend a little bit of time seeing if we have some ideas on what

31:30form this additional information should take. Um, should it be,

31:36for example, a press release issued by the assembly? Um, should it be just a FAQ,

31:45if you will? Should it be something we post on our website? Um, and as along with that, should

31:54this be something which we get a full assembly vote on what it is we're going to promugate?

32:05thoughts on that?

32:15I see delegate green then delegate Kian.

32:21Um yes. Um uh thank you Mr. Chair. Um all of the above. I think um you know having a press

32:30release is important. um and having it placed uh in valid um media outlets. Um uh bullet points

32:40for the assembly delegates um so we're on the same page and we're consistent. Um posting it

32:46online I think is really important because um I think that the material should you have a Q

32:53QR code on it so that people can go to um you know a certain site that gives information.

33:00Um, I wouldn't be opposed to having road signs that um, you know, say, you know,

33:06have a QR code or a website or, you know, a link um, and flyers. I I think all of the above,

33:14but I I could be in the minority on that. We'll find out. Uh, Delegate Killian. Uh, thank you,

33:23Mr. Speaker. Yeah, I'm in favor of obviously getting this to the full assembly and having

33:27a a debate on it. But again, if if you can't explain this in 30 seconds or less to people,

33:32then you know it's you know that's all you're going to get. You know, you're not going to get

33:36long elaborate explanations for things. So, we just need to keep that in mind.

33:43Okay. Any other any other thoughts about

33:47um how we communicate it and vote by the assembly or not on this?

33:58Okay. So, um Okay, I see uh Delegate Hart. Thank you. Go ahead. Thank you,

34:03Mr. Chair. Um I'm just worried for example Jim the delegate Killian has said he's going to

34:11um discuss certain certain topics and so I don't know if we want to put in the press release or on

34:22our web page whatever that um you know individual delegates also have their own opinions um may

34:33express their own personal opinions and feel free to contact your delegate or something like that

34:40cuz I'm not I'm not you know paring the party line of oh it's great let's do it you know I'm going to

34:49mention that they want to restructure government and get rid of town represent representation

34:58okay delegate Mi

35:03I will raise this as a question for not only this group but essentially it's a question that would

35:09go to all of the assembly as we as we work through this but we would have the we have the option of

35:16using our own social media platforms to to to put this question out. I mean we have limited

35:22access to distribution. Um, I mean the the county puts out press releases, but who reads them? Uh,

35:30you know, putting out on our own Facebook page or whatever would be a way for us to express

35:35our opinion. And particularly if we were to come up with a a a a concise short uh synopsis of the

35:44question, you know, I and I I think again I would say that's has to come after the uh deliberation

35:50of the full body, but that would give us a way to actually get some exposure that we otherwise

35:56are are fairly lacking in. Stop. You say I or Well, can I can I ask you delegate there? Are you

36:07suggesting that individual delegates with their own social media postings post their own opinion,

36:17but also post whatever the assembly produces um in the way of information. Exactly. I'm I'm

36:27especially suggesting that we post a kind of a standardized message, one that that I think

36:34we're working towards here. What are those bullet points? What is that elevator speech? As Delegate

36:39Killian says, you know, you've got you've got 30 seconds. You you've got a few points you want to

36:44touch on. I think if we can if we can distill those points, we can help put them out. I don't

36:50know how else we're going to get them out to the public. Okay. Well, there are other methods.

36:56That's one. That is one more method. I I'll take that back. I I understand. So, I have delegate

37:03Green and then delegate harder and then I'm going to try to get us to some sort of place where we

37:09are forming a recommendation to the assembly for their meeting on Wednesday. Delegate Delegate

37:16Harter. Oh, thank you. I just I I believe we should check with um uh Clerk Fletcher, but as I

37:24recall during our um open meeting lot training and all that, if we have our own social media pages,

37:33we can publish the party line from the assembly, right? Whatever the whatever we all come up with

37:42together on Wednesday and that we can put on our own Facebook. But on that we cannot give our own

37:50personal opinions because that is like that goes under deliberating with my co-workers because

38:00everybody on the assembly could read it and then that would be deliberating behind closed doors.

38:06Um, I mean it got really funky, but as I recall, that's what we were told um in open meeting law

38:13training that we should not post any personal opinions about something before the assembly.

38:22Okay, I'll turn that over to the clerk. Clerk Fletcher, do you have a point of view about that?

38:30No, not really. I'd have to go back and look at the training again to see,

38:34you know, a lawyer is going to tell you to be very careful about what you do. Um,

38:39because they're trying to avoid public meeting law exposure, but you know,

38:45as far as the intersection between your free speech as a person or as an individual delegate

38:51and what you should you should say or not say, I'm not going to speak off the cuff about that. I'd

38:58have to go back and review it and we can certainly ask our attorneys me Salman or even KP Law to

39:03um to guide us on that. Okay, very good. We'll wait for that. Uh Delegate Green and then

39:10um again I'd like to start shaping something in the way of recommendation. Go ahead, Delegate

39:15Green. Thank you. Um I I do agree that it it does need to go before the full assembly obviously. Um

39:24uh and also I thought that um the clerk's uh summary memo was very um comprehensive and I

39:33think think that could be a good guide um as well for discussion with the full assembly.

39:42Oh, thank you. And that will be one of the items they will have before them before we as

39:46we deliberate on Wednesday. So let me try here to see if this uh a way in which someone could make

39:54a motion for a recommendation here. The points that have been made um in terms of substantive

40:01issues to be um pointed out in a document of some kind um is that the commission really technically

40:11has 19 not 15 members. the voting and and those additional four are appointed by the board and by

40:21the speaker that there's weighted voting and it's not individual by commissioner uh member that the

40:29um ballot is confusing um and that you are asked to vote for a person before you're asked to vote

40:37for the commission as a whole. And those are two separate votes and now they're not linked in

40:44any way. Okay, they're separate votes. Um the we should make it clear that this is not a normal um

40:54review of the charter. This is intended to provide an overall structural change, a fundamental change

41:02in the current structure of a delegate uh for each town in an assembly of delegates in three

41:08commissioners to some other form. there's been a suggestion to give an example of what that other

41:14form could look like as part of our discussion today. Um, and another potential point is that

41:24there could be as a different form moving from a part-time to a full-time legislative body. That's

41:31in terms of what the substantive points I've heard uh that could be potentially in this document. And

41:38then in terms of the form of communication, I think we're all agreed it should be deliberated

41:44by the assembly. Um but it could be um on the internet, it could be um uh something uh which is

41:52a press release. It could be even road signs with a QR code. Um and it could be distributed through

42:00individual members social media. Um, so those are the points I've heard to see if that can coales to

42:07some form of a motion and recommendation. Delegate Kian, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, in in light of

42:14that that your comments in the discussion, the other uh point we should keep in mind is

42:19the fact that I think there are going to be 10 questions on this ballot. So bear in mind that

42:26trying to get nine. Okay, sorry. U So I know that um we're the 10. We're the 10th question. Yeah,

42:34we're the Okay, so that's what I'm saying. There's gonna be a total of 10. So, but the point is we're

42:38going to be competing with the attention of the voter with a lot of other interested parties. So,

42:44we we should keep that in mind. And by the way, our question is the last one. So, they will

42:52probably be very tired by the time they get to the 10th question. Um uh our question unlike the other

43:00nine will not uh be described in a bullet uh you know in a uh package from the secretary of state's

43:07office. The other nine I understand is 68 pages long um that has been prepared by the secretary

43:13of state's office to explain u the pros and cons of each of the other nine ballot questions. So,

43:20I don't know how many people are going to get through 68 pages, but what it is what it is.

43:26And and if I could just follow up, if I could just follow ahead. Yes. Sorry. Um, which may may help

43:32us out because it's at the end and people may not even want to be paying attention anymore. It may

43:36just vote no because they don't know what it is. So, we should always consider that an advantage.

43:44Delegate Green. Uh, yeah. just uh um we also did put um talk about bullet points

43:51um you know that they should be developed um as well and I I think that's very funny

43:57um uh delegate Killian about not even you know vote no just because they're at the

44:03end and they're tired but um the other thing too is it may not be the end. We don't know.

44:09There may there was a surprise uh question seven on the ballot uh you know for the outer cape. So

44:16um I you know you you don't know until it's u been printed. And I asked my town clerk

44:22and she said that she the actual PDFs of the ballots will not be delivered until

44:29she thought the beginning of October. Yeah. So there could be actually be even more questions.

44:37Not from the state. Those have been certified. There's no more coming here. None. Right. But

44:41there could be there could be a surprise question or two. Not from the state. The state has nine.

44:47There's no more questions from the state. Um so um Okay. Is there is there um is there um I

44:56I mean when I state a statewide ballot, there's nine statewide ballot questions and there won't

45:01be any more of those. Whether there's more on a local ballot is different. So, um, does someone we

45:08have 15 minutes. Does someone have a proposed um recommendation that we could make to the assembly?

45:15Um, or are we not ready to do that and we just have to pass on um doing that on Wednesday?

45:34Delegate Green. I can't get this.

45:44Delegate Homeman. Oh, I'm I'm back. I'm I'm here. I'll make the motion to um to pass along our work

45:53and a summary of our work for discussion with the full assembly. Is that what you're driving at?

46:00Well, I'm asking for I'm I'm driving it maybe if we can sharpen it a bit to make it in the form

46:05of a recommendation that we have the following additional points um that ought to be um in a

46:13form of communication. That's what I'm trying to drive at. I I don't want to had a great summary.

46:19I thought you had a great summary. Well, I I don't know if that's a recommendation of all of us if we

46:26all agree um on all of those points. I'm trying to get to see whether where we agree because I'm not

46:31sure we're agreed on all of those. I am. I do. So, I'd like to make that recommendation that we pass

46:38um all all of the the key points that of your summary on to the assembly for discussion.

46:47Delegate. Oh, um I I I see I see six different opinions in this room right

46:54now. I'm not ready to consolidate into one right now. I think that

46:59um I I I re I think we have to Mr. Uh delegate Killian said it very succinctly and and most more

47:09the attention span of the electorate about the county issues is probably less than 30 seconds

47:14but let's give it 30 and when you come down to question 10 I think if we can get one or two major

47:18points out that are general and and important to uh to state I think the the weighted vote is the

47:26most important thing I've heard here today you know when people understand that the the town

47:31of wealth is going to get almost no vote. Town of Chad get almost no vote and and depending on how

47:36the commission's rate goes on, Barnesville cat could get a tremendous vote or and Balmouth if

47:42not them. So I I'm not ready to consolidate into one thing right now. I think that we're we're six

47:48people with six different opinions. Personally, that's that's how I will I will not vote for it.

47:53Thanks. Okay, delegate. Uh I'm of the same mind. Um I agree. we we don't really have consensus. I

48:02think I think we share a lot of perspective and I think that that will come out in the summary but

48:08I think rather than making a recommendation as though we as though we've agreed on here's the

48:14plan forward um to the to the general body to the assembly I I think we should basically you

48:22suggest that the transcripts the reports of this committee and the discussions that we've

48:29that we've entertained over these meetings uh should should inform their perspective and we and

48:37let let the assembly take it from there. I don't know that we're going to come out to a a final,

48:41but I think we should be able to hammer out some kind of general framework for bullet points and I

48:48and and we've made a pretty good start on that. So, let me see if I understand what you and

48:56Delegate Omen are saying. You're both saying that you don't believe we are in a position right now

49:03to consolidate our thoughts into a recommendation um to give to the assembly. What we do have is

49:14um the thought process we've gone through, shall we say, of various points of view that

49:20we can put before the assembly um and have the assembly deliberate on that and reach

49:27hopefully some consensus on Wednesday. Is that a fair summary of Delegate Ali, Delegate Omen,

49:33where you are? Yes, I would I would concur with that. I concur. Thank you, Delegate Green.

49:41Uh thank you uh Mr. Chair. Um you know I do think that there is a conundrum here where

49:47um you know I always used to say you know um give them three bullet points you know with the

49:53clients or whatever. Um, and I think that's really true. And if people wanted to dig beyond that,

49:58then there was plenty of of additional information. And I think the voters do

50:04deserve um to be informed and make um informed choices. So, and I don't think that, you know,

50:13three bullet points is going to do that. I don't think that you're going to get beyond

50:17three bullet points to most people, but I think if they wanted to learn more or really understand

50:24this and understand how it may impact them uh on a very personal level even or their town at least

50:32um there there's more information to back it up. um you know somehow you know the the bullet points

50:40the um the talking points whatever but I think if they you know I think that's why the web format

50:47could be very um useful or very helpful to uh to click on something that they are interested in and

50:56delve deeper. So I think we need to throw it all against the wall and see what sticks basically.

51:03Um, clerk Fletcher, let me ask you this. Um, if the assembly wants to post our own, let's call it

51:12just for the moment, FAQs about the commission, um, how do we do that? How do we get that done?

51:23Um, we just talk to the administrator and the communications comm uh manager.

51:33And how would that look on the website? How would it come out come across on the website?

51:38Not entirely sure. I mean, that's a technical question. We'd have to figure out what we wanted

51:42to say first and then talk to the administrator and the and and the communications manager and

51:48our consultant about how to put that up. You know, administrator, you mean you mean uh Mr. Dutton?

51:56Yes. Yeah. And in terms of what the content of what we put there is concerned, is there anybody

52:05who um has a right to um either reject what we want to put there or um modify what we put there.

52:21Sorry about that. Yeah. Um, so, um, yeah, I mean, I it really depends on what you want to do. I

52:28don't envision that it would be a problem. We'd have to just determine what it is that we're after

52:33and what we're trying to do. I mean, as you're aware, we did um, work with the commissioners and

52:39the administrator on what's on there now. and you and the speaker reviewed it. So, we'd have to go

52:45back and talk about what that process looks like and how divergent we would like to be from what

52:51um what's up there now. I mean, you could envision that if you put a lot more on the

52:56board might want to put a lot more on, but you've got to you've got to come to some agreement. I

53:01can't speak to that. Yeah. So, um, it's looking as if we are not going to make any recommendation

53:13of bullet points. Oh, delegate Killian, I'll give you a chance to speak. Go ahead. Well,

53:18we should keep in mind that early voting is going to be starting, I think, in a couple of weeks. So,

53:22we should probably try to wrap this up and come up with a plan pretty quickly. Uh,

53:26I don't know what the consensus here is. talk. If we're not going to send a message to the assembly,

53:31does that mean we're going to meet again as a subcommittee and discuss this further

53:34or what are we just going to push this to the assembly and have a a broader debate with the

53:39full assembly rather than continuing to debate? That's right. That's the way to do it. I I think

53:45that's what I'm hearing. Um unless someone wants to put a different kind of uh motion in

53:52front of us. What I'm hearing is there's going to be a report from the committee that will be

53:55describe all the discussion we've had here and see whether there's a sentiment that reaches a

54:02majority vote of the assembly on what we want to get across in the way of a further message other

54:10than the resolution itself. And that could be as we know with depending on how many delegates are

54:17there that could be pretty timeconuming. Um, so we're not going to condense this down our

54:25discussion. We're just simply gonna put all the information that we've gathered here out to the

54:29full assembly and and weigh through it all. Well, that's what I'm hearing right now. Okay, that's

54:35that's I'm not hearing that a motion to do it. If you have another motion you'd like to put before

54:41us differently, then certainly just wanted that clarify. Thank you. Oh, yeah. I mean personally

54:47my own personal opinion I think we get I agree with the sentiment we have first of all to get

54:52it done quickly because early voting is going to start. Number two um that um we'll get very little

54:58attention span from people. So to get a long list of things to people you're not going to get you're

55:05going to get that kind of attention. You got to get a few things across. And frankly, um,

55:10I think the biggest thing that person I personally think needs to get across to people is that if you

55:18do vote yes on this commission, know that you are voting for an overall change of government

55:26structure. This is not going to be just changing in the words of the charter. You're voting for a

55:32whole new charter and replacing the existing structure of government. That's what this is

55:39intended to do if it does its job. People ought to know that they may like that. They may say, "Yeah,

55:48I want that." Or some people might say, "No, I don't like that idea. We'll keep what we got."

55:56Delegate Green. Yeah. I mean qualifying that um so they know what that means because just saying

56:04change of county government structure um they may say oh well that's good it hasn't been looked at

56:11since ' 86 but so that they know what you know an example is delegate Killian said in the general

56:19meeting that we had um you know the first one that we were talking about this um yeah they yes they

56:27do need to know that but they need to understand on a personal level what that could mean. So yeah,

56:34I agree. Well, delegate Ali and then clerk Fletcher and then we have to wrap it up,

56:41I think. Yeah. Yes, I I agree. I agree with you and it comes back to the point I made ear much

56:46earlier on. This is not a routine charter review. This is a charter re review process

56:51that has been set up to enable sub substantive change in yes structure of county government

57:00and that that could include elimination of the assembly. Yeah. Good. Yep. Right.

57:07Um okay delegate rather clerk Fletcher your hand is now down. Um, and you know,

57:16I guess I'll finish what my own point of view again on this is to get into hypotheticals in

57:24my view is not something I'm in favor of doing. I don't care who has said what. They do not carry

57:32and speak for a commission to be formed with 19 people. Who knows? whatever has been said

57:38by these people doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be the end result and product of a

57:44new 19 member commission. So that's why I I think um it it doesn't do any good to go down

57:53those theoretical alternatives mentioning that it could mean the end of the assembly. Yeah,

57:57that's that's true but good that's different. Anyway, um any other comments before we adjourn?

58:08Okay, not seeing any um and not seeing anyone opposed to adjourning. Um I will

58:15uh adjourn the meeting and we'll take this up on Wednesday. Thank

58:19Thank you all for your thoughts and and your attention. Thank you very much.

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