Town of Poland Referendum Election Results
Question 1: Shall the Town approve the Charter modification recommended by the Charter Commission and summarized below?
Summary: This modification will require (1) persons running for Selectperson to establish residence prior to taking out nomination papers; (2) provide that notice to Selectpersons of special meetings may be done by text message; (3) provide for roll call votes of the Board of Selectpersons; (4) authorize the Board to make investigations into the conduct of Town boards and committees and (5) prohibit a Selectperson from holding an elected office until one year after leaving office as a Selectperson. The Charter sections proposed to be modified are 2.1.b, 2.6.a, 2.6.d, 2.7 and 2.9.a
YES - 2,416
NO - 351
Question 2: Shall the Town approve the Charter modification recommended by the Charter Commission and reprinted below?
3.4 Absence of Town Manager; Vacancy. In any case involving the Manager’s absence or disability for a period which is reasonably expected to be twenty-one (21) days or less, the Manager shall designate the Deputy Town Manager in writing, subject to the approval of the Board of Selectpersons, or a qualified administrative officer of the Town to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Manager as acting Town Manager during such absence or disability and shall file said designation with the Town Clerk.
YES - 2,484
NO - 293
Question 3: Shall the Town approve the Charter modification recommended by the Charter Commission and summarized below”?
Summary: This modification will make revisions to personnel provisions of the Charter, including (a) removing the position of local sealer of weights and measures from the list of Town Manager appointees subject to confirmation by the Board of Selectpersons; (b) changes the term “Voter Registrar” to “Registrar of Voters” to be consistent with State law; (c) separates the appointment language for “Registrar of Voters” from the Town Clerk language to acknowledge that these may be separate individuals; (d) removes from the appointment list the positions of Deputy Town Clerk and Deputy Registrar of Voters since those positions are appointed by the Town Clerk and the Registrar of Voters under State law and (e) require that the Town’s Personnel Rules be reviewed every two years and include a wage scale. The Charter sections proposed to be modified are Sections 5.1.2, 5.2.3 and 5.2.3.b.
YES - 2,228
NO - 475
Question 4: Shall the Town approve the Charter modification recommended by the Charter Commission and reprinted below?
5.5.5 Community Economic Development Committee. The Board of Selectpersons may appoint a Community Economic Development Committee which is an advisory committee to the Board of Selectpersons.
5.5.6 Scholarship Committee. There shall be a five-member Scholarship Committee, serving staggered terms of five years, appointed by the Board of Selectpersons. The Scholarship Committee shall oversee the Poland Scholarship Fund. This includes reviewing of applications and the proposal of disbursement of funds that shall go to the Board of Selectpersons for final approval.
5.5.7 Library Trustees. Pursuant to the December 7, 2011 Order of the Probate Court, the Board of Selectpersons shall be the Library Trustees and have oversight of the department and financials.
5.5.85 Ricker Memorial Library Library Committee. The Ricker Memorial Library shall be considered an administrative department of the town subject to the general supervision and oversight of the board of trustees elected according to Article VIII, who shall select and appoint the librarian and other employees subject to the general personnel rules of the town adopted according to Part 2 above. The Library Board of Trustees shall Committee shall consist of a five (5) member board with a three year term. No member may be elected to more than two (2) consecutive terms as Chair.be a five-member committee, serving staggered terms of three years, appointed by the Board of Selectpersons. They shall serve as an advisory committee to the Board of Selectpersons and to the Town Manager with the hiring of the Library Director.
YES - 2,153
NO - 549
Question 5: Shall the Town approve the Charter modification recommended by the Charter Commission and summarized below?.
Summary: This modification would (1) allow Town Meeting to be held by referendum vote at the polls in June of each year and would require the Board of Selectpersons to hold at least two public hearings prior to signing of the warrant; (2) change time lines for budget due dates due to a later Town Meeting date; (3) incorporate holding a public hearing for the Capital Improvement Plan that coincides with one of the mandated public hearings before Town Meeting; (4) removes language about the availability of Town Reports and Audit Reports as that is pursuant to state law 30-A M.R.S.A. §2801; (5) incorporates language that states that if a budget article fails at the referendum vote that the budget amount for that article for the immediately preceding fiscal year shall be deemed adopted; (6) Municipal Elections shall be held concurrently with the June Town Meeting referendum vote. The Charter sections proposed to be modified are 6.2.a, 6.9.a, 6.9.c, 6.9.d, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3.a, 7.3.b, 7.4.1, 7.6.a, 7.6.b, 7.7, 7.8.a, and 8.1.
YES - 2,117
NO - 563
Question 6: Shall the Town approve the Charter modification recommended by the Charter Commission and summarized below?
Summary: This modification would (1) remove the Library Board of Trustees from the list of elected candidates since the Board of Selectpersons serves as the Library Board of Trustees; (2) state that the timing for issuance of nomination petitions shall comply with the requirements of State law. The Charter sections proposed to be modified are 8.2.z and 8.2.b.
YES - 2,052
NO - 644
Question 7: Shall the Town approve the Charter modification recommended by the Charter Commission and summarized below?.
Summary: This modification will establish that the terms of elected officials will begin on July 1 after the effective date of the Charter revision and provides for the extension of the term of Selectpersons and other elected officials then in office to continue their terms until July 1, 2023; (2) establish that any board or committee can vote to recuse a member by a majority vote. The Charter sections proposed to be modified are 10.1, 10.3, and 11.1.
YES - 2,141
NO - 547