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Petition on changing tables taken off tonight’s agenda; petitioner to revise language
Summary
Lead petitioner Geneli Coyne asked Town Meeting to take no action now on a proposed bylaw requiring changing stations in public restrooms, saying she will work with town officials, businesses and stakeholders to refine the draft and return in a future meeting; the motion to take no action passed unanimously.
Geneli Coyne, lead petitioner on Article 40, asked Town Meeting to vote not to accept the article and to take no further action at this time. Coyne described personal experiences that motivated the petition and said she learned through outreach to the bylaw review committee, town manager, building commissioner and Chamber of Commerce that the draft requires finer legal and operational detail.
Coyne said she remains committed to the objective—ensuring safe, sanitary changing spaces in public facilities—and that the school superintendent and school committee have tentatively agreed to install changing stations in proximity to gathering spaces in school buildings regardless of tonight’s outcome. The petitioner said she intends to work with stakeholders and bring a revised bylaw to a future Town Meeting (targeting 2027).
The Advisory Committee supported the petitioner’s motion to postpone action while the language is refined. Town Meeting voted in favor of the petitioner’s motion to take no further action; the motion carried unanimously.
