Two of the items discussed during the first Lions Hall Study Committee meeting was in regards to whether or not there would be public comment allowed during its meetings and whether the name of the committee should be changed to better reflect the buildings history .
The topic of public comment during board and commission meetings, along with at the Town Council has been a point of discussion for weeks in town, following the passing of an advisory warrant article this past March, which asked voters whether or not they supported public input being required for all public meetings both at the beginning of meetings and at the end.
While it was only an advisory warrant article, meaning it had no legal effect, voters supported the warrant article on a 3,085 to 1,077 vote.
“I don’t want to create any headlines that might distract from the board’s work or the organizational meeting or the good work that’s been done here tonight and I don’t see anybody here from the public,” Town Manager, Mike Malaguti, said before the issue was raised by Chair, Kathy Wagner.
“We are going to have public comments,” Wagner said.
Wagner raised the topic with other members of the Committee asking them what they thought the process should be for public comment including potentially having it allowed throughout the meeting.
“I don’t think it’s a bad idea personally, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have public comment beforehand and afterwards after people have heard a discussion,” she said.
Wagner said she thought it made sense to allow for public comment to take place throughout the meeting saying that some people in attendance may hear things during the meeting and then want to discuss it or express their opinions about a particular topic.
“I have no problem with continuance,” Wagner said, reiterating that she wants the public to be involved with the process.
The Committee members also agreed with having public comment throughout.
Another topic raised during the meeting was in regards to what the name of the Committee would be moving forward.
Wagner said she thinks it made sense to call it the Reverend Morrison Meetinghouse Study Committee, in recognition of the original name of the building. The building has gone by the name Lions Hall for years, since the Lions Club has been using the building.
One of the reasons she gave for why she feels it’s important to change the name is so people, who may consider donating to any efforts to restore it, may not want to donate if they don’t know who the funds would be going to.
It was explained by Administrative Support Coordinator, Kirsten Hildonen, that since it was a significant change to the charge for the Study Committee, they needed to recommend to the Town Council to have them formally change the name, which the Committee did.
During the July 15 Town Council meeting, the Town Council approved changing the name. The council also amended the charge to the committees ultimate goal. The amended charge was to charge was to”find the most economical and efficient way to put the Reverend Morrison Meetinghouse building back into service and determine its core usage for the immediate future.”
The committee is expected to give their recommendations to the Town Council by Oct. 1 of this year in order to determine what impact it would have in the budget.