Board of Selectmen to Hold Hearing on Proposed Charter Changes

The Board of Selectmen will hold a public hearing on proposed changes to the town’s charter at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 6.

A Charter Revision Commission has recommended staggered terms for the Board of Selectmen as well as the ability of a third selectman to declare a temporary state of emergency.

Selectmen convened the commission to fix parts of the elections section of the current charter, adopted in November of 2009, that, in part, states, “A political party may nominate and an Elector may vote for one (1) candidate for First Selectman and not more than two (2) other candidates for the Board of Selectmen.”

Since there are five selectmen, the language resulted in the possibility of everyone who ran getting elected.

Selectmen said the second number was and should have been three but members of the previous charter revision commission forgot to change it back after considering staggered terms.

This most-recent commission has now recommended staggered terms, along with a few other changes.

“My sense is the recommendations of the committee will be brought forward,” First Selectman Richard Barlow. “It corrects an error that was made that basically eliminated the voters' ability to select candidates.”

Selectman Bruce Lockwood said he hopes to hear a little more from commission members but said he happy it made many of the changes he has advocated, including the staggered terms and emergency change.

A few other residents spoke in favor of staggered terms at the commission hearings.

Lockwood said staggered terms prevent the possibility of a clean sweep that can interrupt the continuity of government.  

“I thought the ability to have a clean sweep was a bad idea,” Lockwood said.

The commission did leave intact the ability of a losing first selectman to be elected to the board itself, which Lockwood had also advocated changing.

If the selectmen endorse the proposed changes to the charter, they will be passed on to voters at a referendum. Town officials are hoping it could be scheduled at the same time as a budget referendum – should there be one.

The budget would go to referendum if fewer than 150 voters were present to vote at the annual budget meeting, or if the same number of qualified voters sign and meet petition requirements.

Selectman David Gilchrist Jr. said he will circulate a petition to bring the budget to referendum. Gilchrist said he normally waits to see if a large budgetary increase is proposed but is circulating one now because of the potential charter changes. 

The hearing Wednesday will take place in the community center, prior to the Board of Selectman’s regular meeting.