Voters will vote on immediate town government changes as well as charter question
by Marty Green, February 11, 2016
Voters will be asked to consider several specific changes to town government, in addition to considering whether to establish a charter committee. These changes are referred to as “immediate”, even though they could take as long (or even longer) to be enacted as the home rule charter.
Citizen petitions pave two roads to a town charter
by John Osborn, February 11, 2016
Story detailed the two paths to a charter, comparing and contrasting the process of a moderator-appointed charter committee and an elected charter commission. The reason there are the two options is that it wasn’t known if BOS would put the charter commission question on on this year’s ballot, and petitioners believed an appointed committee this year would be better than a commission elected next year. If the ballot question passes, and the commission is elected, the town meeting committee is nullified.
A matrix comparing the two paths is part of the story.
Town will vote on charter question in April
by John Osborn, February 4, 2016
Selectmen have ordered charter commission question on 2016 ballot. Citizen petition also submitted for charter committee to be established by town meeting vote.
Working group recommends greater authority for town administrator
by John Osborn, January 28, 2016
At the Jan. 26 BOS meeting, the working group recommendations were presented. Will be considered at Feb. 2 meeting.
Signature goal met, voters will decide this year or next whether to elect a charter commission
by John Osborn, January 21, 2016
signatures certified Jan. 19, six days too late to guarantee 2016 vote, but selectmen have until Feb. 12 to order question on 2016 ballot.
Charter commission petitioners say they have met goal; next step up to selectmen
by John Osborn, January 14, 2016
Petitions with signatures totaling ~700 have been submitted. They are likely to be certified in the next few days, at which point selectmen will decide if question will be on 2016 or 2017 town election ballot.
Petitioners and working group debate best route to better government
by John Osborn, January 7, 2016
Signatures are being collected, but probably not in time to ensure question will be on 2016 ballot. Working group objects to their work being characterized as “closed”.
