Community Alliance of Mission Hill (CAMH) met on Oct. 21 to discuss revising its bylaws. The meeting was held virtually via Zoom with approximately 17 people in attendance.
Over the past year and a half, the Bylaws Committee of CAMH, which consists of five members, met to talk about proposed changes to the group’s bylaws. Their recommendations were presented at the last board meeting and were approved. These were presented to CAMH membership for a vote at the October meeting, and include the following:
-Proof of residency is currently required to vote on CAMH matters, but a change to the bylaws would allow the board to consider forms of proof of long-term residency other than the ones currently listed. This is to accommodate residents of Mission Hill that do not have drivers licenses or passports.
-Previously, CAMH members were not asked to pay dues. New language will suggest that members contribute a donation to cover basic services and supplies.
-The CAMH Board will consist of at least eight members. Previously it could have as few as four. Any Board member may schedule and facilitate a CAMH meeting if the CAMH President is absent.
-The CAMH President will serve for a one-year term, and no more than four consecutive terms. In addition to creating the meeting agendas and acting as official spokesperson, the President must also respond to correspondence and to pass along group decisions to appropriate agencies.
-The CAMH Treasurer will be tasked with providing yearly, rather than quarterly, financial reports.
-The position of CAMH Secretary was added. This individual will serve for one year and will coordinate sign-in at meetings, oversee proof of residency and maintain a member database.
-Items on the agenda will not be put up for a vote until the following meeting.
-The CAMH annual meeting was changed from April to May.
When the changes were brought to a vote, they passed unanimously.
Other Affairs
-The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) is offering a property at 103-105 Fisher Avenue for development. The parcel has been put up for development every couple of years, with the local community attempting to stop it due to it being very steep and abutting the park.
-The Mildred Hailey/Bromley Heath development plan meeting took place on Nov. 5.
-A new street will connect Center Street to Heath Street, potentially impacting traffic flow in Mission Hill. Member Henry Santana mentioned working with the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) to mitigate the traffic issues.
CAMH meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 7pm. Since the start of the pandemic, meetings have been moved online. Members of the public are invited to attend via the online conferencing platform Zoom.