May 18, 2024, Charter Change Ballot Question
Shall this Town approve the charter amendments proposed by the 2023 Annual and Special Town Meetings, summarized below?''
The changes to the Charter were approved at the 2023 Annual and Special Town Meetings, respectively, under Articles 56-60, and Articles 4, 6-8, and 10-14. The proposed revisions include but are not limited to the following. References to the “Board of Selectmen” and “Selectman” have been replaced with references to the “Select Board” and “Select Board Member”. Relative to Town Meeting, the revisions include: clarification of deadlines for submission of citizen petitions; election of a Deputy Moderator; deadline for preparation of the Town budget decreases from 60 days prior to 30 days prior; requires budget summary to be posted on Town Bulletin Board; and requires a notice of intent to call for a special town meeting to be posted on the Town website and official bulletin board. Limited updates were made to the appointing authorities of the Select Board, Town Administrator and Town Moderator. The revisions propose to change the Board of Assessors from an elected board to an appointed board, with no change made to the service of the incumbents. Several revisions were intended to update and clarify provisions of the Charter, including: that the Town Administrator will serve for a term agreed upon by contract; a regional school district committee agreement may establish terms of its own members; operational roles of the Select Board and Town Administrator will be clarified; Select Board will have increased flexibility in the process for searching for a new Town Administrator and appointing an Acting Town Administrator; removes gendered language; clarifies the role of the Planning Board, including primary responsibility for the Master Plan; revises the membership of and process for appointing the Master Plan Committee; renders more practical the process for removing appointees and employees and clarifies that non-reappointment is not the equivalent of removal; updates provisions relative to multimember bodies to be consistent with requirements of the Open Meeting Law; clarifies that action by a multimember body may be taken by the majority of members present and voting, provided that a quorum is present; updates definition of “town bulletin board” ; eliminates requirements for publication of certain notices in a newspaper of local circulation; clarifies that multimember bodies can appoint non-voting associate members, as well as subcommittees; updates definition of “master plan” to allow use of words “comprehensive plan”; and requires multimember bodies to annually reorganize.
For information on the specific articles voted at Town Meeting that this ballot question consolidates, please click here.