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Resident notifies committee of two citizen-warrant articles seeking initiative and referendum procedures
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Summary
Wilfred Savoy told the Advisory Finance Committee he will file two warrant articles for the special town meeting: one to create a local initiative petition procedure and one to allow referendums on town-meeting votes, modeled on existing charter recall language.
Wilfred Savoy, a resident of 41 Chestnut Street, told the Advisory Finance Committee he plans to file two citizen-warrant articles for the upcoming special town meeting aimed at expanding voters’ direct tools.
"I wanted to give the committee a heads up on 2 articles that I intend to file for the upcoming special town meeting," Savoy said, describing the first as "an act authorizing the establishment of a local initiative petition procedure" that would let voters place issues before the town. He said the second would be a referendum mechanism to challenge actions taken at town meeting within a prescribed time period.
Savoy said he modeled the language in part on charter recall language adopted in 1987 and that both proposals would add procedures to the town charter. He offered to provide the committee with PDF drafts for review.
The committee did not take any formal position at the meeting; members discussed process questions and noted that the advisory committee typically evaluates warrant articles after they are finalized and received. Chair (unnamed) and other members encouraged proponents and opponents to present at public meetings and sign-up sessions before the warrant closes.
Next steps: Savoy indicated he would submit the draft articles ahead of the warrant deadline and share copies with committee members for review.
