Charter Revision and Commission
On March 1, 2022 the Board of Selectpersons made an order to request the opening of the Charter and electing a Charter Commission at the June 14, 2022 Special Referendum Election. The Charter is the governing document for our Town stating how affairs shall be run in the Town, if different from State Law. Although opening the Charter means that anything in it can be reviewed, changed, or items added the Board had one primary reason for making the request:
To revise the language about the Annual Town Meeting being held the first Saturday in April in person with a quorum of 100 people. What they would suggest to the Commission, if the voters vote in the affirmative to open the Charter, is that we switch to a referendum style Annual Town Meeting to be held concurrently with the State election in June or the first Tuesday in June if no State election takes place. With this recommendation to the Charter Commission they would also recommend they add language into the Charter that states that at least two public meetings discussing the articles be held prior to the election giving people time to ask their questions if they have any.
All would have an opportunity at a public hearing to suggest changes to the Charter Commission before the actual work gets started. It will be up to those elected to the Charter Commission to recommend and agree as a unit on any changes that go before the voters for approval. If the voters do not like the revisions to the Charter they will have the final say, at an election, to vote down the revisions.
Nomination papers for the Charter Commission, six open positions, are now available. They must be filed on or before Friday, April 29, 2022, by 4 PM at the Town Office. Any qualified voter of the Town of Poland may be nominated for election as a member of the Charter Commission. The ballot will have all those who turn in complete nomination papers by the deadline listed alphabetically. If there are at least six people listed on the ballot no write ins will be allowed at the election. Voting will take place on June 14, 2022 from 8 AM - 8 PM at the Town Hall.