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Selectmen decline to advance charter change requiring separate voter approval for each new municipal position
Summary
After debate about operational flexibility and voter control, the selectmen voted 4–1 not to move a proposed charter amendment that would require each new town position to be approved individually by referendum.
WELLS, Maine — The Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday not to advance a proposed charter amendment that would have required each new municipal position to be approved on the ballot as a separate warrant article.
Supporters of the proposed change said it preserves voters’ control over municipal growth in the employee base. Opponents argued the requirement would hamstring the town’s ability to respond quickly to emergent service needs, such as hiring additional custodial staff or temporary public‑works employees during emergencies.
The board discussed scenarios where the town might need to convert contracted services to full‑time employees rapidly (for example, plowing or custodial coverage). Several selectmen said forcing a referendum for every truly new position would create delay and reduce operational flexibility.
On a motion “that we don’t move this forward,” the board voted 4–1 in favor of not advancing the charter amendment, effectively keeping the current charter language that requires budget approval but not separate referendum approval for each new position.
Why it matters: The proposal raised a governance tradeoff — maximizing voter control of the municipal workforce versus preserving administrative agility to staff critical services. The board’s decision preserves the existing practice under which positions are proposed and funded through the annual budget process rather than as stand‑alone ballot items.
Next steps: The amendment will not be placed on the Nov. 4 ballot; staff and selectmen said they may consider other transparency measures within the budget process instead.
