AMHERST — Giving the Town Council the power to hire its own attorney, shortening the lame duck period for outgoing councilors, and better delineating the powers of the town manager are among League of Women Voters of Amherst recommendations to improve the town’s 37-page charter.

A consensus of League members endorsed 16 proposals from a task force in June for possible changes to the charter adopted by voters in 2018, which adopted a 13-member elected Town Council that replaced the 240-member Town Meeting and five-member Select Board. The League’s recommendations, coming as the town embarks on a mandatory charter review this year, are based on good government principles.

The suggestions are outlined in the League’s July e-bulletin, which also includes two items outside the scope of the formal review, such as a study of changing the form of government to one with a council and mayor, and adjusting the threshold to have a voters veto a council decision.

Concepts recommended by the League members include developing and adding a preamble to the charter, outlining the town’s goals for good government, and including a mission and values statement referencing affordable housing, racial equity and climate change.

There are also ideas to shorten the current period between election and inauguration of councilors to be no more than three weeks; to lengthen and stagger terms for elected offices; to provide each town councilor with an equal opportunity to have a voice and vote on standing council committees; to provide the Town Council with the power to hire its own legal counsel or analyst; and to require a second for a counselor motion to postpone discussion on a topic.

For the role of the town manager, in addition to delineating more clearly the powers of the office, the League recommmends requiring applications for seats on town committees and boards overseen by the town manager to be public records, with consent of the applicants.

For the Finance Committee, the League is recommending that resident members be granted the right to vote on committee decisions; and for public participation, to have, at minium, a period of public comment at the beginning of all regular council, standing council committees and multiple member bodies.

The League is asking, too, that the charter recommit to pursuing ranked choice voting in town elections, participatory budgeting, creating a position of Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator, permitting noncitizens to vote in town elections and to hold town elective office, and lowering the voting age for town elections. The group also urges considering holding local elections in even-numbered years to coincide with national elections; continued hybrid council and virtual council committee meetings; and allowing electronic signatures on all types of resident petitions.

Free summer meals

Free summer meals for youth and teens ages 18 and under are being offered on weekdays, through Aug. 23, as part of the Summer Eats program.

Sponsored by University of Massachusetts Dining, which uses its Baby Berk food truck, participants can pick up their meals during 10- to 20-minute periods at several locations around town. While no identification or registration is required, those picking up meals must be present and eat on site.

The locations for distribution are Olympia Oaks, 85 Olympia Drive, at noon; Mill River Recreation Area, 95 Montague Road, at 1 p.m.; Village Park, 497 East Pleasant St, at 1:35 p.m.; Meadow View Apartments, 266 East Hadley Road, at 2:05 p.m.; Butternut Farms, 12 Longmeadow Drive, at 2:30 p.m.; Colonial Village, 81 Belchertown Road, at 3 p.m.; and Rolling Green Apartments, 422 Belchertown Road, at 3:20 p.m.

Project Bread’s Child Nutrition Outreach Program partners with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to identify and collaborate with local school and community meal providers to offer Summer Eats sites across the state.

North Common near finish line

Renovation of the North Common in front of Town Hall is almost complete, with the landscaping and construction fences recently removed.

“As soon as the fencing came down, people started using it,” Town Manager Paul Bockelman said this week.

But there is still some work to do with streetlights and bollards, signs for the PVTA bus stop and ValeyBike Share, and getting in place permanent furnishings. Temporarily, chairs and tables that had been on Boltwood Walk were moved to a plaza on the greenspace. 

Over-50 job seekers

Those seeking work who are 50 and older can participate in the Jones Library’s biweekly skill-building and networking group meetings, being held via Zoom through December.

The Jones is one of more than 50 public libraries across the state participating in the 50+ Job Seekers Networking Group, helping those looking for a new job, a new career direction or a second-act career.

Each biweekly meeting, held on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 9:30 a.m., is facilitated by Deborah Hope, an experienced executive career coach and former Fortune 500 executive, investment banker and entrepreneur.

Jones Library’s participation in the series is made possible by the Friends of the Jones Libraries.  For more information, contact Janet Ryan, head of programming and outreach, at 413-259-3223. Those interested in participating should register at www.joneslibary.org/jobseekers.

Meetings

WEDNESDAY: Planning Board, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: Zoning Board of Appeals, 6 p.m.