Selectmen add speaker-time limit and a citizen petition on S-cars to the town meeting warrant

The Nahant Board of Selectmen on March 25 added two items to the annual town meeting warrant and then closed the warrant for referral to the Advisory and Finance Committee.

Town Administrator Allison presented two additional warrant items while the warrant was open. The first, Article 19, would set a four-minute limit on how long a person may speak on an item during town meeting floor debate, with the moderator authorized to permit extensions at his or her discretion. Allison said the language clarifies that the moderator retains authority to lengthen speaking time when warranted.

The second addition, filed as Article 23, is a citizen petition concerning the application of S-cars. Allison said a second separate petition from the same petitioner arrived after the first and therefore had to be added as a distinct article. The proposed Article 23 would authorize the select board to petition the General Court for special legislation so the town could by ordinance prohibit application of S-cars, "notwithstanding chapter 132B of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary," according to the submitted language.

Selectmen discussed the difference between pursuing special legislation and any ongoing state effort to consider a broader ban; board members were told the special-legislation route is a town-specific process that would require the select board to work with a state representative or senator to file the bill. Allison and others noted the special legislation route is different from a statewide act and would be specific to Nahant.

After the additional articles were entered, the board voted to close the annual town meeting warrant and send it to the Advisory and Finance Committee for review. The Finance Committee must complete its recommendations in time to meet the printer's deadlines later in April.