There will be a Special Town Meeting tomorrow at the High School Auditorium.

Usually, Special Town Meetings are needed for year-end budgetary purposes, but also on the warrant will be Article 6, which will try to change the office of Town Clerk from an elected to an appointed position.  This will require the Selectmen to petition the state legislature for a Special Act, which the townspeople will then vote on. The idea to make this change came from the  Special Report of the Committee to Examine Town Government. The special report also recommended that the Board of Assessors and the Board of Health be made into appointed instead of elected positions.

Some questions I have:

  • What other towns have done this?
  • Is this really necessary?
  • Isn’t the Town Clerk (who would be appointed by the Selectmen) in charge of counting votes for who becomes a Selectman?