Charter Review Committee Makes Executive Branch Recommendations

FRAMINGHAM - Members of the Framingham Charter Review Committee made some recommendations related to the city’s executive branch during their meeting at the Memorial Building on Thursday, March 28.

The committee is tasked with reviewing the Framingham Home Rule Charter and suggesting changes before passing the document along to the City Council for approval. From there, any modifications will be put to a vote before residents.

The executive branch in the city is addressed in Article III of the charter.

One of the key recommendations for Article III affirmed by the Charter Review Committee was clarifying term limits for mayors in Framingham, as candidates could be elected to no more than three consecutive terms if the group’s suggestions are approved. Members of the committee cited this as a way to remove confusion if a mayor is elected but is unable to serve a full term.

“The important part for us is: ‘consecutive’ means you could be (mayor) for three terms, you could take time off, and if the voters think you’re great and they want you back, you could run and go again,” Chair of the Charter Review Committee Adam Blumer explained on Thursday.

The group also recommended the addition of a Chief Climate and Sustainability Officer to the executive branch. That person would be appointed by the mayor, and they would work with the municipal government to create strategies and goals to address local climate resiliency. Climate and environmental matters, community resilience, and equity would be added into the city’s Master Plan, as the committee suggested that the plan would be prepared every 10 years.

New proposals for Article III would expand the scope of the mayor’s annual report on financial and administration activities in the prior fiscal year to include all of Framingham’s boards, commissions, and committees as well.

Some of the topics brought up during the meeting were suggested in January by the city’s Strategic Initiatives and Financial Oversight Committee (SIFOC).

The Charter Review Committee will continue to address matters related to the city’s Strategic Blueprint, which members described as a way to specifically pinpoint how to accomplish goals established in the Master Plan, at a later date.