After Controversy, Council Officers Issues to be Examined

The Medford City Council's rules subcommittee will review proposed changes to the stipends and terms of office for officers, according to a Boston.com report. The review comes after the council's controversial voting process for president and vice president at the first two meetings of 2013.

Councilor Robert Penta, who invoked a rule during the first meeting to end debate on voting for president and vice president when questions about conflicts of interest were raised, is proposing the new changes. Boston.com is reporting Penta would like to see council officers rotated and the additional stipends for those positions eliminated.

After Jan. 8's meeting ended when Penta invoked the rule, the council did re-elect Robert Maiocco as president and Fred Dello Russo as vice president at a special meeting Jan. 10.

Originally, Councilor Michael Marks questioned whether councilors running for those offices could vote for themselves based on state conflict of interest laws.

At the special meeting, the "rule of necessity" was invoked to allow a vote after four of the seven councilors were nominated for president and all four claimed a possible conflict of interest.