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Council sends charter stipend question to ballot after heated budget-year debate
Summary
After extended debate over timing and optics during a budget squeeze, Bridgewater council voted 6–1 to place a charter amendment authorizing council stipends on the April ballot; proponents said stipends encourage candidate diversity while opponents cited budget strain.
The Bridgewater Town Council voted to send a charter amendment on elected-official stipends to the April ballot following a lengthy discussion about timing and public perception.
The amendment would add annual stipends of $5,000 for council members and $7,500 for the council president; presentation material noted a total budget impact of $47,500 and compared local stipend practices in other Massachusetts municipalities. The proposal was introduced to encourage candidate recruitment and retention and to recognize the time commitment council service requires.
Supporters argued the stipend is modest relative to the town—udget and could broaden the candidate pool. Opponents said the town—aces budgetary constraints and that introducing stipends during a tight fiscal year risks poor optics. Council discussion also addressed whether a voter-approved charter provision obliges future budget inclusion; town counsel said the budget process and charter language create some complexity but did not provide a simple prohibition on later council or manager action.
Council vote: The motion to place the stipend amendment on the ballot carried, 6 in favor, 1 opposed.
What happens next: Voters will decide whether to adopt the charter change at the stated election; if adopted, councilors and staff said the mechanics of incorporating stipends into the annual budget would be a subsequent operational step and could be handled during the town budget process.
Notable detail: Ed Eubaldi, speaking about the Charter Review Committee—ackground, said the stipend recommendation had been years in the making and highlighted the proposal—igures: "counselors would be getting a stipend of 5,000 for the year. And the council president would be 7,500 for the year. The total budget impact would be 47,500," he said.
