Here’s Alex Ruppenthal’s article on Charter Review, the meeting held last Wednesday night, June 25, 2014

Resident John Storella said the charter has been amended a handful of times since the city adopted Plan A in 1986, six times to authorize increases to McGlynn’s salary.

Storella, who started collecting signatures to initiate a charter review in 2008 but had to stop because of health problems, found residents at the June 26 meeting shared his criticism of the enormous power granted to Medford’s mayor under the charter.

http://medford.wickedlocal.com/article/20140701/NEWS/140709917

Here’s Medford’s actual charter

https://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=13043

 

Sec. 46. – Plan A.

The method of city government provided for in the ten following sections shall be known as Plan A.

Sec. 47. – When plan takes effect.

Upon the adoption of Plan A, it shall become operative as provided in sections one to forty-five, inclusive.

Sec. 48. – Mayor; election; term of office.

There shall be a mayor, elected by and from the qualified voters of the city, who shall be the chief executive officer of the city. He shall hold office for the term of two years from the first Monday of January following his election, and until his successor is qualified.

Sec. 49. – Party or political designations excluded from ballots.

No ballot used at any annual, biennial or special city elections shall have printed thereon any party or political designation or mark, and there shall not be appended to the name of any candidate any such party or political designation or mark, or anything showing how he was nominated or indicating his views or opinions.

Sec. 50. – City council; number; election; terms of office; officers.

The legislative powers of the city shall be vested in a city council, consisting of seven persons, elected at large by and from the qualified voters of the city. One of its members shall be elected by the council annually as its president. Thereafter, as terms expire, there shall be elected at each annual city election a sufficient number of members to fill the vacancies created by the expiration of said terms, each member so elected to serve for two years.

Preliminary and regular elections shall be held biennially in every odd-numbered year on the day fixed for holding such elections under the laws in effect in Medford immediately prior to enactment of this act. The first preliminary election after passage of this Act shall be held in September, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven, and the first regular election shall be held in November, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven.

The mayor and members of the city council elected at the first regular election after passage of this Act shall hold office for the term of two years from the first Monday of January following their election and this act shall be in full force and effect from and after said date.

(Acts of 1986, ch. 605, § 1(7), (8))

Sec. 50A. – Filling of vacancies in city council.

Vacancies occurring in the city council shall be filled by that defeated candidate at the last regular municipal election who received the highest number of votes for election to the city council and is eligible and willing to serve.

(Acts of 1986, ch. 605, § 1(2)(b))

Sec. 51. – [Repealed by 1952, 257, § 3.]

Vacancies occurring in the city council shall be filled by that defeated candidate at the last regular municipal election who received the highest number of votes for election to the city council and is eligible and willing to serve.

(Acts of 1986, ch. 605, § 1(2)(b))

Sec. 52. – Mayor to make certain appointments without confirmation.

[Generally.] Upon the adoption of Plan A, all heads of departments and members or municipal boards, except the school committee, officials appointed by the governor, and assessors if elected by vote of the people, as their terms of office expire, shall be appointed by the mayor without confirmation by the city council.

[School committee.] The mayor shall serve as a member and as chairman of the school committee. Nothing in this act shall affect the election, powers or duties of the school committee, it being the intent and purpose of this act that the school committee remain as it exists under the laws in effect for the city of Medford immediately prior to the enactment of this Act.

(Acts of 1986, ch. 605, § 1(3))

Sec. 53. – Certificate of appointment.

In making his appointments the mayor shall sign and file with the city clerk a certificate in the following form:

Certificate of Appointment

I appoint (name of appointee) to the position of (name of office), and I certify that in my opinion he is a recognized expert in the work which will devolve upon him, and that I make the appointment solely in the interest of the city.

Mayor.

Or in the following form, as the case may be:

Certificate of Appointment

I appoint (name of appointee) to the position of (name of office), and I certify that in my opinion he is a person specially fitted by education, training or experience to perform the duties of said office, and that I make the appointment solely in the interest of the city.

Mayor.

Sec. 54. – Removal of certain officials.

The mayor may remove the head of a department or member of a board by filing a written statement with the city clerk setting forth in detail the specific reasons therefor, a copy of which shall be delivered or mailed to the person thus removed, who may make a written reply, which, if he desires, may be filed with the city clerk; but such reply shall not affect the action taken unless the mayor so determines. This section shall not apply to the school committee, or to officials appointed by the governor, or to assessors if elected by the people.

Sec. 55. – Approval or veto of measures by mayor; veto override.

Every order, ordinance, resolution and vote relative to the affairs of the city, adopted or passed by the city council, shall be presented to the mayor for his approval. If he approves it he shall sign it; if he disapproves it he shall return it, with his written objections, to the city council, which shall enter the objections at large on its records, and again consider it. If the city council, notwithstanding such disapproval of the mayor, shall again pass such order, ordinance, resolution or vote by a two-thirds vote of all its members, it shall then be in force, but such vote shall not be taken for seven days after its return to the city council. Every such order, ordinance, resolution and vote shall be in force if not returned by the mayor within ten days after it has been presented to him. This section shall not apply to budgets submitted under M.G.L.A. c. 44, § 32 or to appropriations by a city council under section thirty-three of said chapter.

Sec. 56. – [Mayor’s salary.]

The salary for the office of mayor shall be $92,350 per year, and the Mayor shall receive no other compensation from the city. The term “Mayor” shall be exclusively reserved for that elected position as provided in this act and the presiding member of the city council shall hereafter be known as “President of The City Council.”

(Acts of 1986, ch. 605, § 1(4); Acts of 1990, ch. 99, § 1; Acts of 1992, ch. 229, § 1; Acts of 1995, ch. 49, § 1; Acts of 1997, ch. 223, § 1; Acts of 1999, ch. 45, § 1)

Sec. 57. – [Applicability of M.G.L.A. c. 43, §§ 1—44G.]

M.G.L.A. c. 43, §§ 1—44G, as in effect for the city of Medford immediately prior to the enactment of this act, shall apply to the plan of government enacted by this Act except as otherwise provided herein.

(Acts of 1986, ch. 605, § 1(5))

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And now, why we need Charter Change

Medford budget battle continues

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  Wicked Local File Photo |

  Mayor Michael J. McGlynn has sent a letter to the Medford City Council regarding the budget and a $600,000 reduction vote taken June 24.

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• • Mayor’s Letter to Medford City Council
• By Nell Escobar Coakley
  Posted Jul. 1, 2014 @ 12:15 pm
  Updated at 3:56 PM

  The budget battle between the Medford City Council and city administration continued this week, as the new fiscal year kicked in.

  Mayor Michael J. McGlynn on June 30 sent a letter to City Council President Paul Camuso, as well as the other six members, detailing problems with the $600,000 vote taken by the body on June 24.

http://medford.wickedlocal.com/article/20140701/NEWS/140709698

MAYOR’S LETTER PDF

http://medford.wickedlocal.com/assets/pdf/WL2623671.PDF