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Voters decline petition to expand Board of Selectmen from three to five members
Summary
A citizen petition to increase the Board of Selectmen from three to five members failed at the Oct. 17 special town meeting after discussion about costs, local precedent and whether a formal study should precede structural change.
Town Meeting considered a citizen petition asking the legislature to approve special legislation to increase the Lakeville Board of Selectmen from three members to five, with implementation staggered at the 2019 or 2020 annual town election. The amendment to the petition changing the implementation window to 2019 or 2020 passed on a voice/count; the underlying petition was debated and put to a counted vote.
Speakers included petition supporters who argued a five‑member board would spread the workload, broaden representation and mirror the structure in several nearby towns of similar size (members named towns in Plymouth County that have five-member boards). Opponents and some Finance Committee members said they were unconvinced the town had considered the practical impacts, and some recommended study before changing government structure. Selectmen and proponents noted other nearby towns of similar size that have already adopted five-member boards.
After the counted vote the moderator declared Article 11 failed, 53 to 73.
