Council Looking to Upgrade its Digs

It very nearly lived in infamy as the "furniture committee," or to be more specific, the Committee to Review the Council Chambers and the Council Furniture, before President Charles Kokoros thought better and dropped the last four words.

But in all seriousness, Councilor John Mullaney suggested Tuesday night that the Braintree Town Council look into replacing its dilapidated table and upgrading to a more permanent setting.

In other communities, Mullaney argued, councilors are shown "dignity and respect" with dedicated chambers and horseshoe-shaped tables that allow them to face each other during discussions.

"Let's assure everyone we won't be spending $9 million like Gov. Deval Patrick," Councilor Paul "Dan" Clifford joked, referring to Patrick's plan to update the governor's suite at the State House. 

More than five years after the transition to a new form of government, it's time to look for permanence for the council, Kokoro said. It is currently housed in the Town Hall auditorium, with a table leftover from the Board of Selectmen. 

Councilors voted 8-0, with Ronald DeNapoli absent, to form the committee and begin discussing the issue profile-to-profile.