City Council takes major step forward in municipal charter change process

After collaboration with key mayoral staff, Councillors vote to enroll ordinances, pursue public engagement related to future home rule petition on charter revision

By Steve Freker

A nearly seven-year process, where an appointed Malden City Council subcommittee has been tasked with a review and revision of the close to 150-year-old City Charter, took a major step forward Tuesday night. With several unanimous votes, the City Council approved the enrollment of ordinances that are designed to advance plans to reorganize and restructure key, existing boards or departments.

In another specific case, a City Council vote Tuesday night moved forward – with first steps – an ordinance that will reestablish a long-dormant municipal commission that would provide oversight of the city’s parks and playgrounds.

“We have been working on some form of charter revision since 2019,” noted City Council President Ryan O’Malley at Tuesday night’s regular meeting. “The pandemic changed our views and our priorities.”

“We decided to focus on some areas of our [City Charter related] ordinances most in need of reform, primarily boards and commissions and general [municipal] structure,” O’Malley added. “I really appreciate the work of the Charter Review Committee and Ordinance Committee on this process.”

“The Charter Committee did a terrific job, along with the support of the Ordinance Committee, to come up with these proposals,” praised Ward 2 Councillor Paul Condon, who has served more years than any Councillor in Malden history. “I attended a few of the meetings and a lot of work went into [this procedure].” Councillor Condon also noted the collaborative efforts of top city staff in the process, particularly Malden’s Chief Strategy Officer, Ron Hogan, and Building Commissioner Nelson Miller.

At Tuesday’s meeting, several unanimous City Council votes resulted in advancing plans for:

– The reestablishment of a Parks Commission in Malden to be known as “The Parks and Recreation Commission” and establishing it as a city ordinance, removing it from the City Charter document

– The restructuring of the Department of Public Works (DPW), Inspectional, Engineering, Health and Veterans Affairs Departments, among other proposed changes

As City Council President O’Malley explained it, all of the proposed changes related to the City Charter would ultimately have to be submitted as part of a home rule petition from the City Council and Mayor Gary Christenson to the Massachusetts state legislature for its approval. Tuesday’s votes were the first step, O’Malley said, with some of the language removed from the City Charter into the form of new ordinances, which the City Council enrolled with its votes. The next step, which is encouraged by the state legislature before the submission of the formal home rule petition, according to City Council President O’Malley and other Councillors – including Ward 7’s Steve Winslow, who heads up the Charter Revision Committee – is more public engagement. This public engagement could be “up to and including” a public hearing on the proposed charter changes.

At Tuesday’s meeting, a number of Councillors, including all three Councillors-at-Large – Craig Spadafora, Carey McDonald and Karen Colón Hayes – expressed support for more public comment and engagement on the numerous and varied changes and additions being proposed.

The last steps, City Council President O’Malley explained, would be finalizing the home rule petition document, using the resources of the city’s legal department, after hearing from the public, then submitting it to the legislature. “The big thing here is getting the [language] out of the charter to the ordinances. We can always tweak the ordinances if need be,” O’Malley said.

Another final step would be another vote of the City Council to ordain the new ordinances, which would make them formally part of city regulations.

SIDEBAR

City Council enrolls new ordinance establishing new Parks and Recreation Commission

Proposed Updated Ordinance Section 2.16.140: Parks and Recreation Commission

(Renamed: Formerly Stadium Commission)

1. Established

There shall be a Parks & Recreation Commission consisting of 5 members, appointed by the Mayor to serve for a term of three years and subject to confirmation by the City Council. The Recreation Director and staff shall provide professional support to the Body, provide communication to the Ward Councillors, and issuance of compliance and permits.

1. Authorities and Responsibilities
2. The Parks & Recreation Commission manages all city parks, stadiums, playing fields and playgrounds, and reviews and approves the design and location of playing fields, athletic courts and playground equipment provided for use by residents.
3. The Parks & Recreation Commission establishes fees for permits for use of its fields and promulgates regulations for the use of fields, parks, stadiums and other recreational facilities under its control.
4. The Commission coordinates with the Department of Public Works to provide for the maintenance of parks and playgrounds, the preparation of fields for scheduled activities and equipping of playgrounds.
5. The Commission advises the Recreation Coordinator on development of a comprehensive plan to make recreational activities, programs, events and facilities available to residents.