by Marty Green ·
Friday, December 5, 2025
The Harvard Town Charter’s final provision requires that the charter be reviewed at least once every 10 years. The original Charter Commission began its work in 2016 and submitted its final report in October 2017, so that first 10-year limit is approaching, even though the charter was not officially adopted until Town Meeting in May 2018.
The Select Board announced in October it was seeking volunteers for the nine-member Charter Review Committee, with a deadline of Dec. 1 for applications. At the board’s Dec. 2 meeting, Vice Chair SusanMary Redinger read off the names of the seven people who have volunteered: Pablo Carbonell, Paul Cohen, Bruce Leicher, Shannon Molloy, Charles Redinger, Stuart Sklar, and Mikihaila Trollinger. Cohen served as chair of the original Charter Commission, and Charles Redinger was a member.
Although the agenda indicated the Select Board had planned to vote on the five Charter Review Committee members it gets to choose, the board decided to delay a vote until its Dec. 16 meeting. Ahmet Corapcioglu said he would like to talk with some of the applicants before then. And Eric Ward volunteered to be one of the two current Select Board members who can serve on the review committee.
The Finance Committee is also entitled to name two members of the Charter Review Committee, and the School Committee can appoint one. Abby Besse will represent the School Committee. The FinCom has not yet made its choices but plans to do so at its Dec. 16 meeting.