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Residents press Charlton Select Board to study repeat citizen petitions and seek legal clarity on library policies
Summary
Residents urged the board to explore limits on repeat citizen petitions to reduce 'whiplash' and asked town counsel to clarify whether library trustees can adopt a weapons ban or whether state law controls; commenters also raised pedestrian safety at the Main Street crosswalk.
At the Jan. 13 Select Board meeting, multiple residents used the open forum to ask the board to study how the town handles repetitive citizen petitions and to seek legal guidance on the scope of library trustee authority.
Resident Bill Borowski asked the board to direct a review by a bylaw study committee into whether the town can limit how quickly identical measures return to town meeting, arguing repeated votes cause "whiplash" for voters and officials. The board later added bylaw review committee business to its agenda and appointed a select board liaison to the committee.
Steffen Sage, speaking on behalf of the library trustees, said trustees historically manage library property and raised concern about a recent town policy on overnight parking in town-owned lots. Sage also urged the board to confirm whether a local library policy could lawfully ban weapons, telling the board, "Policy does not trump laws," and asking staff to consult town counsel.
Resident Denise Reno thanked the board for installing crosswalk lights but said she still feels at risk walking there at night and asked whether the same legal questions about trustee policies could apply to other town-owned properties such as the town hall.
The chair said public forum remarks are generally referred to a future agenda item or otherwise handled at a later meeting; the board agreed to pursue follow-up, including checking legal counsel and inviting library trustees to discuss the issue at a later meeting.
