Greenwich RTM Considers Recommendations From LWV

GREENWICH, CT — To improve the legislative body's effectiveness, the League of Women Voters of Greenwich in 2015 conducted a study of the 230-member Greenwich Representative Town Meeting which produced a list of 14 recommendations. And this week more than 100 RTM members responded.

The Greenwich Time reports that reactions to the recommendations were mixed, with some, such as suggesting RTM members all use their town-provided email addresses, receiving negative responses.

Term limits for leadership positions also received less than 50 percent positive responses. However, strong majorities supported suggestions of time limits on speakers and more frequent updates to the RTM's website.

The League of Women Voters' 14 recommendations are listed below:

1. The Greenwich Representative Town Meeting should remain a legislative body of the Town with a membership not to exceed 230 representatives elected for a two-year term without party affiliation.
2. District Chairs should be aware of the impending vacancies in their Districts and begin the search for new candidates in the Spring preceding the election. Each potential RTM candidate should be given a list of responsibilities of RTM members. Petition signers should also be made aware of these responsibilities.
3. The electorate’s unfamiliarity with their District RTM members and candidates makes the body potentially less representative. Thus, only those candidates who are elected on the RTM ballot or as a write-in should be seated. RTM Districts without full representation following the election should not elect any additional members during the term, except to fill a vacancy by reason of death or resignation.
4. The RTM should re-district to equalize representation. If needed, re-districting should be considered every ten years.
5. There are currently eleven Standing Committees. The number of referrals to each committee is generally indicative of the amount of work of the committee. Transportation Committee should be merged into the Public Works committee.
6. Many in the leadership positions in the RTM have served very long terms. There should be a ten-year term limit on the uninterrupted service by the Moderator, Moderator Pro Tem, Committee and District Chairs. To avoid the sudden loss of leadership experience, the calculation of the years served should commence from the adoption of the term limit rule.
7. All RTM members should be required to use the Town-provided emails for all communications within the RTM and for constituent contacts.
8. All materials to RTM members should be sent electronically. To streamline reporting, all committee reports should be sent to the District members via email before the District meetings. Recognizing that non-RTM members may be either in attendance or watching on television, Committee Chairs would concisely report the key issues and votes at the full RTM meeting.
9. The $5,000 threshold for approval of expenditures or grants, in existence since at least 1963, should be raised significantly to $25,000. This amount should be reviewed every five years.
10. Reasonable but firm time limits for speakers should be established at all RTM meetings.
11. To avoid possible error in voting cards, each member should mark the voting card instead of relying on a hands or thumbs up gestures.
12. All Committee and District Chairs should be trained to conduct all meetings according the proper parliamentary procedure and within the Freedom of Information requirements. Committee members need to be made aware of the roles and responsibilities of the committees before committee assignments are made. The Legislative and Rules Committee should update the roles and responsibilities of all the committees to keep them current.
13. The RTM should keep its section of the Town website updated to comply with the Freedom of Information regulations.
14. The work of this legislative body is largely unknown to the residents. The RTM should create an email file of residents wishing to sign up to receive electronic updates on its work. These updates should explain the functions of the RTM and how residents can engage with the board and its members. A Standing Community Outreach Committee should be established with representation from each District.

Click here to read the full story on the Greenwich Time website.

Photo credit: Town of Greenwich