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Citizen petition would bar part‑time elected officials from town health insurance; petitioner asks for town review
Summary
A citizen petition would make part‑time elected officials ineligible for the town's contributory health and life insurance plan effective March 1, 2026. The petitioner said the intent is to inform voters and bring the cost of those benefits into the town meeting budget process.
A citizen petition on the special-town-meeting warrant would, if adopted, bar part-time elected officials who receive a salary or stipend from participating in the town's contributory health and life insurance plan effective March 1, 2026.
Francisco, the petition's sponsor, said he researched the practice and its cost to the town and submitted the petition to place the matter before voters. "My goal is to do the presentation, inform the citizens ... the town decides," Francisco said, adding he wanted the costs and history to be transparent and considered as part of the town's budget decisions.
At the meeting board members clarified the procedural status of citizen petitions: because of a town bylaw enacted in 2023 (referred to in the meeting as Sec. 74-8), certain citizen-petition bylaws cannot be amended on the town-meeting floor. The board did not take action on the petition at Tuesday's meeting; the petition will appear on the warrant as submitted and voters will decide at town meeting.
