The Wrentham Town Charter was enacted and took effect on January 1, 2015. Under Section 7.3 of the Charter, at least once every ten years, in each year ending in a 4, a special committee shall be established for the purpose of reviewing the charter and make a report with recommendations, to the Town Meeting concerning any proposed amendments. Wrentham has begun the Charter Review for 2024. This page provides information regarding the review process and schedule.
Purpose and Composition of the Charter Review Committee (CRC)
Enacting a Charter, approved by the state legislature, codified the Town’s structure, authorities, and processes to help ensure operational consistency. It also affirmed the Town’s right to conduct local government in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Home Rule Amendments, in a way that is responsive to and consistent with local concerns and needs. The Charter is the keystone for modernizing and implementing consistent policies and procedures across the Town’s boards and departments to significantly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of municipal operations.
Meetings
The CRC met over the course of May - August 2023 and conducted a line-by-line review of the charter. The focus of the review centered on three components:
• Processes and Procedures
• Authorities and Responsibilities
• Structure and Organization
Based on the June-August 2023 review, the CRC will provide three public forums prior to finalizing the draft amendments that will be voted on at Town Meeting. The purpose of the forums is to present potential proposals for Charter amendments and to gain public feedback.
Based on the June-August 2023 review, the CRC will provide three public forums prior to finalizing the draft amendments that will be voted on at Town Meeting. The purpose of the forums is to present potential proposals for Charter amendments and to gain public feedback.
Forum #1 was conducted on September 13, 2023. This forum focused on potential proposals specifically related to elected officials and boards. A link to the presentation is available below.
Forum #2 was conducted on September 26, 2023. It will focus on potential proposals related to organization, responsibilities, and procedures.
Forum #3 is scheduled for October 4th, 2023. It will be conducted live in Town Hall and on Zoom at 7:30 p.m. This forum will provide a comprehensive overview of all of the proposals.
Members
The Charter Review Committee (CRC) was appointed by the Select Board on April 4, 2023 The CRC consists of:
Jerry McGovern, Chair
Kevin Sweet, Town Administrator
Michael King, Finance Director/Treasurer-Collector
James Anderson, Selectmen
Cindy Thompson, Town Clerk