Town Council Approves Charter Amendments

Kensington's Town Council passed changes to the charter on Monday, March 14, with three votes in favor and one opposed.

The updated charter now allows the council to hold public hearings on ordinances in 15 days of introduction instead of the prior 28 days. Before the public hearing is held, town members will be notified of the ordinance and the hearing date and time in several ways.

The proposed ordinance or a fair summary will be:

1. "Posted at the Town Hall by the next business day;
2. Posted on the official town website;
3. Sent to those persons listed on the official town email list/mail subscription service; and
4. Published once prior to the public hearing in the town newsletter or sent by substitute regular mail to newsletter circulation addresses."

Only one step was changed from the previously mentioned process.

"We dropped the item of [posting the hearing in a] newspaper of general circulation because most people said they don't read it anyway," Town Manager Sanford W. Daily said.

But to make up for that, and because the town newsletter isn't sent out monthly, an announcement will be sent by mail to those who receive the newsletter.

"Since we don't do a journal every month," Mayor Peter Fosselman said, "substituting the mailing of a postcard is a good thing."

Council Members Mackie Barch, Mary Donatelli and Sean McMullen voted in favor of the amendment changes with McMullen saying that the likelihood of passing an ordinance in 15 days is slim.

"We barely do anything within 28 days," McMullen said. "We , and here we are in middle of March and we're still discussing it."

Since town hall meetings are held every two week (14 days) having the rule of 15 days prevents the council from going one meeting to the next, according to McMullen.

But Council Member Lydia Sullivan opposed both amendments to the Charter saying that she doesn't believe that it is about updating or making it more applicable to the town.

"It's reducing transparency and public input," Sullivan said. "We should aim for best practices in our laws, not speed and quote 'efficiency' ... I know I'm going to lose on this, but I think this is a mistake and I believe it's bad policy."

Sullivan also mentioned that most respondents that spoke at the public hearing opposed these changes as well. The mayor agreed that the majority of people were against the amendments at the public hearing, but said that residents showed support in other ways. Residents were able to submit letters and e-mails in support or opposition to the proposed changes.

Other items of discussion included getting a Boys Scout troop to help clean up the part of Howard Avenue past Summit Avenue, which has turned into a dumping area of sorts; starting a First Friday art walk event; and better ways to connect the East and West sides of Connecticut Avenue to make it safer for pedestrians.

The next council meeting will be held on Monday, March 28.