Ward 4 City Councilor David Narkewicz submitted the following resolution to the city council proposing to amend the citizen’s resolution from two weeks prior. After an hour of contentious debate, the matter was tabled until November 15, 2007. Original resolution below.
Amendment in the form of a Substitute Resolution
Respectfully submitted October 18, 2007
WHEREAS, Northampton will soon finalize and adopt Sustainable Northampton, a master plan for our community developed over many months and with broad public participation from a wide array of constituencies and stakeholders, and
WHEREAS, the overarching future vision expressed in Sustainable Northampton includes an affirmation of Northampton’s commitment to the following enumerated principle: “Inclusiveness, tolerance, and civic-mindedness by embracing diversity and encouraging full participation in community conversations. It is assumed that controversy and debate will only further the discussion and result in greater participation and feeling of ownership by the community”
WHEREAS, this ongoing encouragement of citizen participation and constructive community dialogue are critical to the successful realization of the vision, goals, and principles of Sustainable Northampton; and
WHEREAS, other communities large and small like Portland, Oregon and Portsmouth, New Hampshire have made similar commitments to civic involvement through council resolutions and the use of community “learning circles”, together with national consensus-building efforts like "America Speaks" and the "National Issues Forum"; and
WHEREAS, all citizens of Northampton share the common goals for policy and decision-making processes that are well-defined, transparent, accessible, and embedded with a continual focus on community outreach and stakeholder involvement; and
WHEREAS, these shared community goals are vital to every aspect of government from planning and budgeting to public safety and the public works to sustainable policies for energy, transportation, and economic development; and
WHEREAS, the Northampton City Council, as the people’s elected legislature entrusted with both a lawmaking and oversight authority for all of these areas of government, must take a leadership role by creating a framework for positive community dialogue around these shared goals; and
WHEREAS, the rules and precedents of the City Council allow it to convene in a public forum or workshop-style meeting format – outside of the strict procedural constraints of its regular sessions – where citizens can engage with their elected legislators in a meaningful and productive exchange of ideas; and
WHEREAS, following the 2005 adoption of the Community Preservation Act (CPA) after a close and, at times, contentious citywide ballot campaign, the City Council used this meeting format to listen to input and ideas from citizens who had been on both sides of that public debate on how best to implement the CPA in Northampton; and
WHEREAS, the City Council used the ideas exchanged and gathered at this informal “listening session” to refer to its various committees of jurisdiction the tasks of drafting and holding hearings on both a Charter change resolution and a new local ordinance creating a Community Preservation Committee – two pieces of legislation that enjoyed unanimous passage and broad community consensus.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
Upon the adoption of Sustainable Northampton, the Northampton City Council will organize a series of special public forums for the purpose of gathering input and ideas from citizens across Northampton about how our community can affirm and advance its shared commitment to the enumerated principal of strong citizen participation in all of our policy and decision making processes.
Upon the completion of its public forums, the City Council will delegate to its various committees of jurisdiction the responsibility of drafting appropriate Orders, Ordinances or Resolutions for the City of Northampton.
October 18, 2007
Upon the recommendation Councilor Bardsley
WHEREAS, the City of Northampton City Council believes that effective citizen involvement is essential to good planning and governance; and
WHEREAS, the City of Northampton’s draft sustainability plan contains a guiding principle for “Operating the city as a democratic enterprise responsive and responsible to the fiscal, economic, social, and environmental interests of its citizens.”
WHEREAS, the City of Northampton is better served when citizen involvement is encouraged and sought early on in a project; and
WHEREAS, the City of Northampton City Council agrees with and supports a citizen initiative to adopt good practice in planning and municipal decision making; and
WHEREAS, the City Council’s Ordinance Committee is the appropriate venue to begin the discussion of adopting a policy on good practice in planning and municipal decision making.
Now, therefore be it resolved,
That the City Council of the City of Northampton does hereby delegate the Ordinance Committee the responsibility of drafting the appropriate Orders, Ordinances or Resolutions for the City of Northampton to demonstrate and adhere to good practice in planning and municipal decision-making.
