<div dir="ltr"><div>Given the discussion going on here about what may or may not happen at the April 2 (tomorrow!) Legislative Meeting, I thought I would discuss the process of amending the Town Charter.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Here is the language from the Charter on Amendment:</div><div><br></div><div><div><i>§ 1008: Charter Amendment</i></div><div><i>This charter may be amended in accordance with the provisions of Article 23A of the Annotated Code of Maryland, provided, however, that no amendment to this charter shall be passed at the meeting at which it is introduced. At any regular or special meeting held not fewer than six (6) nor more than sixty (60) days after the meeting at which an amendment to this charter is introduced, it shall be passed, or passed as amended, or rejected, or have its consideration deferred. The amendment or a fair summary thereof shall be published at least once in a newspaper having general circulation in the town before it is acted upon by the council.</i></div><br clear="all"><div>In my Town Crier article for April 2018 (at <a href="http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/Crier/9673-April%202018%20Crier.pdf">http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/Crier/9673-April%202018%20Crier.pdf</a>) I discussed the "provisions of Article 23A of the Annotated Code of Maryland," which say the amendment <i>either</i> by resolution of the Town Council <i>or</i> by petition of the voters.  A petition of the voters is <i>required</i> for the amendment to go to referendum (read my article for more details, or read a plain-language description of the process required by the state at <a href="https://www.mdmunicipal.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/13">https://www.mdmunicipal.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/13</a>).</div><div><br></div><div>Because of the provisions of <span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial">§ 1008, the Council <i>cannot</i> vote to approve the amendment at the meeting where it is introduced, which usually means that it is not even discussed at the meeting where it is introduced (a strict interpretation of Robert's Rules of Order would not allow discussion).  The Council has traditionally listened to comments from members of the public that are present, which I expect to happen tomorrow. </span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><br></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial">Once the amendment has been introduced, the Council must vote on the next action (pass, amend and pass, reject, or defer) within 60 days. That will almost certainly happen at the May 7 Legislative meeting; the June 4 meeting is more than 60 days from the expected April 2 introduction. </span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><br></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial">Note that the proposed legislation was discussed and amended by the Legislative Committee (a subcommittee of the entire council) during two meetings (February 21 and March 8) prior to the introduction in its current form as presented to the entire Council. The fact that the Legislative Committee was working on this legislation was announced both in Councilmember Dixon's Ward Report in the Town Crier, and in posts to TownTalk and TownAnnounce announcing the meeting times, locations, and agendas.  </span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><br></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial">Best regards,</span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><br></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial">Alan</span></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><br><div>Alan K. Thompson, Mayor</div><div>Town of Riverdale Park</div><div>5008 Queensbury Road, Riverdale Park, MD 20737</div><div><a href="http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info" target="_blank">http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info</a></div><div><a href="mailto:akthompson@riverdaleparkmd.gov" target="_blank">akthompson@riverdaleparkmd.gov</a></div></div></div></div></div>