Councilors' Food for Thought

According to this week's American Journal, members of the Westbrook City Council are chewing on some ideas to reform city government.

Some of the ideas being floated are to organize a commission tasked with reviewing the city charter and making recommendations for improvement (the Committee of the Whole recommended in a 6-0 vote that the city hold a referendum regarding this proposed commission); to eliminate the mayoral veto; to change the length of councilors' terms (the piece doesn't clarify whether the proponents of this idea prefer longer or shorter terms); to stagger the councilors' terms; and to restrict the amount of money the mayor can spend without council approval to $3,000. To read the piece in its entirety, click here.

The Committee of the Whole also heard testimony Monday night from Westbrook Police Chief Bill Baker and City Clerk Lynda Adams in favor of extending insurance benefits to domestic partners. The committee voted 5-1 in favor (Councilor Ed Symbol opposed) of referring the issue to the City Council for further discussion. To read that piece in its entirety, click here.

- John C.L. Morgan