Warrant Article Title:
BYLAW AMENDMENT/CHANGING COLUMBUS DAY TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY

Warrant Article Text:
To see if the Town will vote to celebrate and recognize the heritage of the peoples indigenous to Massachusetts and Arlington by amending Title I, Article 6: Classification and Compensation Plans and Human Resource Bylaw, Section 16, Holidays, to rename “Columbus Day” as “Indigenous Peoples Day”; or take any action related thereto.

Requested by:
(Inserted by the Select Board at the request of the Arlington Human Rights Commission)

Report Excerpt:

This Article, inserted at the request Arlington Human Rights Commission, seeks to amend the Town Bylaws to rename the federal and state holiday on the second Monday in October known as “Columbus Day” to “Indigenous Peoples Day”. The holiday falls annually on the second Monday in October. The proposed amendment is a piece of a wider effort to celebrate and recognize the heritage of the peoples indigenous to Massachusetts and Arlington in lieu of the often mythologized 15th Century explorer Christopher Columbus and his expeditions and colonies established on behalf of the Spanish Crown.

 

The Select Board unanimously recommends positive action on this article, and notes that the Massachusetts Legislature is presently considering similar changes to the state law. We further note that the above motion includes the language “known as the state and federal holiday ‘Columbus Day’” to make it clear that a new holiday is not being created for Town employees.

 

*The Finance Committee supports the favorable action recommendation of the Select Board (12-2-4)  

Vote Language:

That Title I, Article 6, Section 16 (“Holidays”) of the Town Bylaws be and is hereby amended to strike the words “Columbus Day” and insert the words “Indigenous Peoples Day (known as the state and federal holiday ‘Columbus Day’)” so as to read as follows:

 

Section 16. Holidays

(ART. 44, ATM –06/16/97) (ART. 17, ATM – 05/30/07)

In order to qualify for holiday credit, a regular employee shall have worked on the last regularly scheduled work day prior to, and the next regularly scheduled work day following such holiday, unless it is an absence for which compensation is payable as provided under this by-law. 

 

The following days in each year shall be considered as holiday credits: 

 

New Year's   Day Labor Day

Martin Luther King Day Columbus Day Indigenous Peoples  Day (known as the state and federal   holiday “Columbus Day”)

Washington's Birthday   Veterans' Day 18

Patriot's Day   Thanksgiving Day

Memorial Day   Christmas

Independence Day  Christmas Eve Day if same Falls on   a Monday Through Friday

 

Whenever a holiday falls on Saturday, another working day off with pay shall be arranged at the discretion of the department head. Good Friday shall be considered as half day holiday credit. The day following Thanksgiving shall be treated as a holiday unless an employee is scheduled to work same by the department head in which event the employee will be granted another day off at the discretion of the department head.

 

(5 – 0)

Additional Materials:

Select Board Report

Finance Committee Report