Board of Aldermen 3-10-2020 Page 16
Alderwoman Kelly
Sorry | thought we already moved on.
Alderman Dowd
So | just wanted to point that out. We haven’t voted on the amendment.
President Wilshire
Further discussion on the amendment?
MOTION CARRIED
MOTION BY ALDERMAN CLEMONS FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF O-20-005 AS AMENDED
ON THE QUESTION
Alderman Clemons
Thank you. | brought this forward to really start a discussion in this City about what we can do to start
making things more equal. As my colleague has stated before me, this is really something that is pretty
simple for us to be able to do. It just gives the individual the opportunity to be referred to as something that
they deem to be respectful. Unfortunately, you know, our State Law does not allow us to have a Charter
change to become a City Council because we have a strong form of government in so far as the Mayor is
concerned. | believe in that government, | don’t propose changing that government. What! would hope is
that some of the folks around this horseshoe can work to try to allow the State to differentiate between a
City Council that is a weak City Council and a City Council that is a strong City Council and simply have us
change the title. Since that was not able to be done, this is the furthest that | believe we can go. And |
think we should do it. So with that, obviously | will be supporting this.
Alderman Klee
| agree with a couple of statements. We do currently call ourselves Aldermen and Alderwomen,, if it was
someone who was binary, | would hope we would all accept Alderperson. Having said that, | don’t see the
harm in putting this in writing and making it official so if someone would feel welcome ... | don’t have a
problem with that. I’m glad that it was struck where it said “whenever possible the Board of Alderperson”
because | think that kind of leaves a gray area. | disagree with this being a prime example of political
correctness, | think we do want to be all inclusive. And | think we do make a statement, because we do
have Alderwomen here tonight that prefer to be called Alderman. So | think we allow ourselves to choose
what we want but this would make it official. But an aside, | spoke to the Deputy Secretary of State
because one of the conversations that came up was our ballot, it says “Alderman” is that going to be
confusing? He said, as long we leave as Aldermen there is no issue. He also said that there was not going
to be a problem if we decided to be the Board of Alderpersons, he said he felt it would be confusing but we
could do it and that wouldn’t require a Charter change but anything else would. | am going to support this, |
don’t think it is necessary but | do think if it makes people feel that they would be more welcome, | will
support that. But | think we are already doing it.
Alderman Schmidt
Thank you, | too did a little research up in Concord and | found out that in 2008, | think, that they changed
the low to allow Selectman as government of towns were allowed to change it so that they were
selectwoman, selectperson. So they didn’t change the name of the Board itself, but they just simply
allowed it.
