With the new year upon us, our council committees are ready to hit the ground running. This year the council will be ushering in quite a bit of change. Each council member has been appointed to at least one committee that they did not serve last year. Additionally, all but one of our council committees has a new chairperson. There will inevitably be some bumps in the road as we settle into our new roles, but I for one am excited to learn a new area of council governance. I am also excited by the opportunity that fresh perspectives will bring to our work.
The Town Council has six standing committees; each committee is made up of three councilors. Each councilor (with the exception of the Council Chair — trust me, he has plenty to do) serves on three committees in addition to their other liaison roles. Unless otherwise noted, all committee meetings are open to the public. Meeting dates, times, and location can be found on the Town calendar.
The Appointments and Negotiations Committee meets to review applications for vacancies on the various Town committees/boards and makes their recommendations to the Council. The Committee also provides analysis and recommendations about the Town’s collective bargaining strategy and compensation planning.
Chair – Karin Shupe; Members – John Cloutier, Don Hamill
The Appointments and Negotiations Committee meets as needed the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
The members of the Communications and Public Engagement Committee provide direction, policy oversight, and business decision support for all communication efforts of the Town Council. The Committee also reviews and offers feedback on the Town’s current mechanisms for promoting Town Council and community engagement. The Committee may identify new strategies and resources that will foster and promote a positive and productive dialogue with community members and may help facilitate improvements to existing and new communications mediums.
Chair – April Sither; Members – Jean-Marie Caterina, Nick McGee
The Communications Committee meets the second Thursday of each month at 3 p.m.
The Fair Hearing Authority is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that general assistance is administered in accordance with the state law and local ordinance.
Chair- Don Hamill; Members – John Cloutier, April Sither
Due to the nature of the hearings, this committee meets only when necessary, and meetings are not open to the public.
The Finance Committee is charged with reviewing appropriation requests and revenue estimates for all offices, agencies, and departments of the Town. The Finance Committee prepares recommended line item appropriation amendments, with the exception of the Town Department of Education Budget, to the proposed budget to the Town Council prior to the public hearing and final reading. In consultation with the Town Manager and staff, the Finance Committee may prepare and recommend for approval by the Town Council, policies and/or procedures relating to the financial affairs of the Town.
Chair – John Cloutier; Members – Don Hamill, Karin Shupe
The Finance Committee meets the second Wednesday of each month at 5 p.m.
The members of the Ordinance Committee review proposed ordinances or amendments and make recommendations thereon to the Council for final action. Ordinance proposals may come from elected officials, citizens, staff, or Town committees and boards.
Chair – Nick McGee; Members – Jean-Marie Caterina, April Sither
The Ordinance Committee meets the second Thursday of each month at 4 p.m.
The Rules and Policies Committee reviews proposed Policies Chapter 101 – Town Council Adopted Policies and Chapter 302 – Rules & Procedures from time to time to ensure that it is in compliance with State Law and the local Charter.
Chair – Jean-Marie Caterina; Members – Nick McGee, Karin Shupe
The Rules and Policy Committee meets as needed. Meeting times and locations will be posted to the Town calendar.
Each committee will be meeting in the coming weeks to discuss their goals and priorities for the year. Alignment with the 2021 Comprehensive Plan, as well as overall Council goals, will be central to our work across committees. On a personal level, I am thrilled to take on the role of Communications chair, and am eager to expand on the outreach efforts that the committee launched this past year. I wish all of my fellow council members the best as we take on the work that the year will bring.
I would be remiss if I did not thank all of the dedicated and knowledgeable town staff that support committee work in too many ways to mention, as well as give a shout out to all of our residents who volunteer their time to serve on citizen committees. I maintain, as I always have, it is the people that make Scarborough such an amazing place to live…the beaches are just the cherry on top!
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Scarborough Town Council.
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