Select Board to seek public comment on raising citizen‑petition threshold to 50 signatures

The Select Board reviewed a draft home‑rule petition prepared with town counsel that would ask the state legislature to amend the town charter to raise the number of registered‑voter signatures required to place an article by citizen petition on the annual town‑meeting warrant. The draft in the packet used 50 signatures as a placeholder; the board discussed alternatives including a fixed higher number (100), a percentage of registered voters, or precinct‑based signature distribution.

Town staff and the town clerk explained administrative implications (signature certification and precinct verification) and suggested petitioners carry a buffer of extra signatures to account for verification and ineligible entries. Board members debated the tradeoffs—higher thresholds reduce frivolous warrant items but make it harder for citizens to bring legitimate matters forward. Several members favored a modest increase for the public‑hearing stage while acknowledging the board could revisit the precise threshold later.

On a motion the board voted to proceed with public outreach on a 50‑signature proposal at a September public meeting; staff said any language changes from the legislature would be vetted and the Select Board would have authority to accept clerical amendments from the legislature as part of the home‑rule process.