To see if the Town will vote to strike or amend Title I Article 1, Section 4. B. (“Stenographic Record”) to remove the requirement to generate a stenographic record of the proceedings of Town Meeting; or take any action related thereto.

(Inserted at the request of the Town Clerk and Town Manager)

(5 - 0)

The Select Board unanimously urges Town Meeting’s support for removing the Town Bylaws’ requirement to maintain a live stenographer during all sessions of Town Meeting.  At present, the Town video records and broadcasts all sessions of Town Meeting, utilizes a live transcription service, and records substantive votes electronically.  A live stenographer incurs a substantial cost for few if any requests for Town Meeting transcripts in recent years.  Further, to the extent a stenographer transcript is necessary or useful, a stenographer can render an official transcript from recordings of the meeting. Finally, in rare circumstances, Town Meeting has risked otherwise unnecessary adjournments based solely on the unavailability of a scheduled stenographer.  Accordingly, the Select Board believes removing the requirement is a practical measure given the current state of recording, broadcasting and accessing the audio-visual recordings of Town Meeting.

That Title I, Article I, Section 4 B (“Stenographic Record”) is hereby stricken and removed, so as to read as follows:

TITLE I

ARTICLE 1

TOWN MEETINGS

SECTION 4.              Duties of the Clerk

A.    Record of Attendance – A record of attendance of Town Meeting Members at all representative Town Meetings shall be made under the direction of the Town Clerk, said record to be available to the public.

B. Stenographic Record – A complete stenographic record of the proceedings of the Town Meeting, including all discussion and debate, shall be made under the direction of the Town Clerk, said record shall be available to the public no later than sixty (60) days.  Any partial record of the proceedings of Town Meeting shall be available to the public when said record is received by the Town Clerk prior to the required time period designated under this Section.   

Select Board Report

Substitute Motion, Adam Badik, Precinct 5