Swampscott committee has identity crisis

SWAMPSCOTT – In their first meeting, the committee previously known as the Regionalization Committee could not decide on a name.Newly elected Chairman Michael McClung said he was fine with the original title, but newly elected Vice Chairman Rich Malagrifa said he thought it might bring negative connotation.?Regionalization is a very ugly term when it comes to cities and communities,” said Malagrifa. “Anything other than that word makes it friendlier.”Malagrifa said the word makes “unions cringe” and therefore communities would be less willing to work with the town in sharing services. “Unions are always concerned, and rightfully so. They don?t want to lose jobs or pay,” he said.Joe Domelowicz, appointed as secretary, said the resistance of some employees toward regionalization won?t change if the committee has a friendlier name. “This is not about the people who are here now, this is about planning the way we do things moving forward,” said Domelowicz, “which is finding the most efficient way to get the best services possible to our constituents.”Town Moderator Joe Markarian said technically, the committee doesn?t have to change their name. “If Town Meeting approved you as the Regionalization Committee, that?s what you are.”With no outstanding need to decide a new name, “The Committee to be Named Later,” as deemed by Domelowicz, moved on to deciding how to go about what they are charged with, which, according to their approved warrant article, is to “research and evaluate regionalization opportunities” with other communities.Markarian provided committee members with a list of regionalization resource links and a brief lesson on how communities usually go about sharing services.Currently, Swampscott engages in three methods of regionalization: Hosting Nahant high school students, emergency dispatch in Lynn, and procurement and purchasing services in Salem.The committee plans to start out meeting monthly. Their next meeting is proposed for Oct. 17.