Municipal Employees File Petition To Replace Town Meeting
Jason Graziadei •
A group of town employees have sponsored a warrant article that would replace Nantucket's traditional Town Meeting in favor of a Town Council-Town Manager form of government.
The petition, filed with the Town Clerk last week for inclusion on the May 6, 2023 Annual Town Meeting warrant, would make sweeping changes to the way the island governs itself.
It is one of numerous citizen petitions that are being submitted to the Town Clerk ahead of today's deadline for inclusion on the Town Meeting warrant at 4 p.m.
The town staff behind the warrant article include: firefighter Beau Barber, Nantucket Natural Resources Department director Jeff Carlson, information systems administrator Mike Alvarez, and Health Department director Roberto Santamaria.
Under their proposal, an eight-member Town Council would become the legislative body of the town, replacing Town Meeting voters. The members would be elected by districts established for areas of the island, with one at-large seat. The chair would be elected by popular vote taken by all districts, and required to hold officer hours within normal business hours five days per week.
The council would have the power to appropriate town funds, enact bylaws and regulations, acquire real estate, and appoint the town manager. Its members would be compensated monetarily.