Forty
residents gathered at the Nov. 10 public hearing on the Charter
Advisory Committee's preliminary recommendations seemed eager to turn
myth into reality.

Twenty speakers gave more than two and a half
hours of testimony at the hearing, all expressing dissatisfaction with
various aspects of the recommendations. The extension of the mayoral
term of office, lack of support for instant runoff voting and suggested
School Committee changes took the most criticism.

Advisory
Committee Chair Howard Horton, president of the New England College of
Finance, introduced the recommendations while stressing that public
comment was a part of the process.

"In addition to perhaps come
up with a document that would be more flexible with respect to making
changes in the future, we also have a charge of looking at arcane and
obsolete provisions in the current charter," Horton said.

Mayor
Joseph A. Curtatone assembled the 10-person advisory committee in July,
with Horton estimating final recommendations being completed by the end
of the year.

The recommendations revealed at the public hearing
were divided into nine categories, including the branches of the city
government, a section proposing an annual report from the executive
branch, the creation of an administrative code and a section
recommending the removal of outdated provisions.

Some residents
told the committee the fact that Curtatone initiated the charter
revision process was suspicious given the committee's recommendation
that the mayor's powers be expanded and the term expanded from two to
four years. The term for the Board of Aldermen, which would be re-named
the City Council in the name of gender neutrality, would remain two
years.

Others asked why the committee did not recommend
switching to a city manager system, as Cambridge has, which replaces an
elected mayor with a professional appointee who answers to the City
Council.

"There is a political reality of having an elected
official interact with other elected officials versus an appointed
person," Horton said, citing Curtatone's ties with the governor as a
factor in getting construction funds for Somerville High School.

"We
go into (the term extension) with some hesitation, recognizing that if
the person is not performing well it would take longer to eliminate
that person through an election. But we felt the upside of having more
management stability would be a greater benefit to citizens than a
downside."

Resident Lawrence Paolella told the committee that
since he moved to Somerville 16 years ago he has seen the Board of
Aldermen unable to act outside of the direction of the mayor.

"It
all seems to come from the mayor," Paolella said. "The Board of
Aldermen is presented with his body of work, and it's a rubber stamp.
This is actually extending this system. I have not seen any meaningful
legislation initiated by the Board of Aldermen in the last 16 years."

The
most vocal opposition was reserved for the proposed changes to the
School Committee, primarily the addition of appointed members who would
be chosen, according to the recommendations, for "educational expertise
and diversity."

In addition to several residents opposing the
change, three committee members gave testimony to the advisors, which
includes School Committee Chairperson Paul Bockelman, of Ward 6.

"I
would proceed with real caution with this hybrid notion," Ward 3 member
Adam Sweeting said. "I think having a body where some people are
elected and some are appointed, you really do run the risk of
factionalization — and that is not in the interest of Somerville's
kids."

Ward 5 committee member Mark Niedergang said while he
needed more information on how member would be appointed, he supports
the idea in order to get minority representation.

"Sixty percent
of our students in our public schools now are immigrants or kids of
color," Niedergang said. "The only that way I can figure out to get
people from those constituencies on the School Committee is to get them
appointed."

The opposition to the proposed committee changes culminated with Ward 7 representative Mary Jo Rossetti.

"I
have never been more opposed to anything in my near 10 years serving
citizens," Rossetti said. "I am disturbed by the fact that you mention
appointments to the school committee looking for educational expertise.
I am pleased that you haven't suggested looking for expertise on the
Board of Aldermen."

The charter, if approved by the mayor, would
go before the Board of Aldermen for a vote and move on to the state
legislature for approval. The charter would then be presented as a
ballot question in the upcoming elections.

The last attempt at renewing the charter was in 1996, which Horton said, "never went anywhere."

(Full disclosure: Managing Editor James Norton represents Ward 4 on the Somerville School Committee.)