[MassHistPres] Clarification about alternate members of Historical Commissions

[Gretchen Schuler]

I don’t believe that you can fill a vacancy – that can only be done by Town Manager/ Board of Selectmen, but the Chair of the Historical Commission can ask an alternate to vote in the interim as long as you do not exceed the 5 or 7 member commission that you  adopted in your Historical Commission bylaw.  Generally it is a meeting by meeting decision of the Chair to select an alternate to vote in lieu of someone who is absent or a slot that is vacant as the case may be.

Gretchen Schuler

Wayland HDC

 

From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Ipswich Historical Commission
Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2015 1:35 PM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu; John Fiske
Subject: [MassHistPres] Clarification about alternate members of Historical Commissions

 

We need clarification of the new law for alternate members on Historical Commissions.

"Section 8D of chapter 40 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the tenth sentence the following sentences:- Alternate members may be appointed in like manner as provided for in this section not exceeding in number the principal members.  In the case of the absence or inability to act on the part of a principal member, the place of such member shall be taken by an alternate member designated by the chairman."

We have a vacancy on our Commission. Does the change mean the Chair should appoint an alternate to fill the vacancy until a new person is appointed by our Town Manager, or does it mean that the Chair can only appoint an alternate as a voting member in the absence of a quorum? 




Gordon Harris, Ipswich Historical Commission

Stories from Ipswich <http://ipswich.wordpress.com> 
Historical Commission site <http://historicipswich.org> 

 

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