Charlton Select Board adopts overnight municipal-parking policy after heated debate

The Charlton Select Board voted Dec. 9 to adopt a new overnight-parking policy restricting overnight parking on town-owned municipal lots, following a prolonged and sometimes heated discussion over procedure, scope and liability.

The board’s vote capped a contentious exchange in which members disputed whether deliberations had already occurred at the prior meeting and whether legal counsel’s guidance required a supermajority for adoption. Town Administrator Andrew presented the written policy and the board moved to adopt it that evening; the motion carried after the vote.

Why it matters: Board members and residents framed the question as one of public safety, municipal liability and fairness. Supporters argued a clear rule will prevent encampments and unauthorized overnight use of town lots; opponents said the town has no documented incidents, that the measure is punitive and could create hardships for residents who use municipal parking.

Key details - Motion to adopt the overnight-parking ban was made during the Dec. 9 meeting after the policy had been introduced at an earlier meeting. A board member stated the item had been fully deliberated previously and moved to vote; opponents argued the written policy presented that night had changed from the prior discussion and required further public comment. - Chair said she found no police reports or insurance claims to justify the policy and called it "punitive" and said it could create hardship for residents. - Select Board member David said he had contacted the Attorney General’s office and raised the possibility of "criminal, civil, and ethics violations" connected to the underlying circumstances that led to the proposed rule and said he would file a public complaint with the state for an independent review. - Staff said enforcement would be limited to town-owned municipal parking areas (not street parking) and that areas would not be ticketed until signs were posted; posting signs could take weeks or months, giving additional time for public notice. - The policy includes exceptions (written permission, events, and other listed exemptions) and staff said lots later determined not to be municipal would not be subject to enforcement.

Voices from the meeting - Chair: "This policy is punitive...there are no police reports, no insurance claims," (Chair, Dec. 9) stressing a lack of documented incidents. - Select Board member David: "There may actually be criminal, civil, and ethics violations involved, which is why I want the state attorney general to do an independent investigation," (Dec. 9). - Town Administrator Andrew: "We try to cover all potential municipal parking areas that it could be applied to," explaining the staff intent to identify and post signs before enforcement.

Next steps and context The board approved the policy at the Dec. 9 meeting; members agreed staff will return with clarifications to the board’s rules and procedures to remove ambiguity about voting thresholds and to provide a clear map of lots that will be posted and signed before enforcement begins. The board also directed staff to include the issue in upcoming bylaw and rules review work.

(Reporting based on board meeting transcript and statements made on Dec. 9, 2025.)