01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, August 7, 2008

By MARIA ARMENTALJournal Staff Writer

CHARLESTOWN –– Eight proposed changes to the Town Charter, approved last month by the Town Council, are already at the secretary of state’s Office.

All that’s left now before voters have their say in the election Nov. 4, is for the council to set a public hearing on the proposals. By ordinance, it must be held at least 60 days before the election.

The hearing, however, would have no real impact on the proposed changes before voters, as the questions and language have already been set by the council.

The changes include:

• Adding a recall provision that would allow voters to remove elected officials from office in the event of a felony conviction or a no contest plea.

• Allowing alternates on the Planning Commission and the Tax Assessment Review Commission to vote.

• Shifting duties from a nonexistent department of public health to the director of public assistance, who currently performs those duties.

• Replacing the director of civil preparedness with a department of emergency management and update the department’s duties to comply with current state and federal mandates.

• Updating the language for a possible Charlestown School Committee in the event of a partial or complete withdrawal from the Chariho Regional School District.

• Requiring all elected and appointed officials to abide by the state Code of Ethics.

The seven-member charter review committee had originally proposed 13 questions, which the council rejected as a package along with 6 questions presented by acting Council President James M. Mageau.

Council members later agreed to reconsider the questions individually and approved 8 of the 13.

Among the proposed changes rejected: new hiring requirements that would prevent the sitting council from appointing key positions, such as the town administrator.

Committee members said they would ask the new council and its charter revision committee to revisit some of the proposed changes that were not approved by the current council.

Copies of the proposed changes –– including the questions as they will appear on the ballot, with brief explanations, and the existing and proposed language changes –– will be available for review on the town’s Web site ( www.charlestownri.org), at the library, and –– with the council’s approval –– in the town’s newsletter.

marmenta@projo.com