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Tiverton council advances package of charter amendments covering council terms, hiring and land transfer
Summary
Council voted to move a broad package of proposed charter amendments to public hearing and the ballot, including extending council terms to four years, clarifying town powers over property transfers, and changes to appointment rules for the town administrator, clerk and treasurer.
The Tiverton Town Council advanced a package of proposed charter amendments to public hearings and potential ballot questions, after a solicitor’s presentation and extended council discussion.
The solicitor told councilors the proposals would ease administration of small town parcels, allow the council authority to acquire or convey property subject to voter approval for open‑space parcels, and transition some offices from elected to appointed status in order to streamline operations. Notable proposals include extending council terms from two to four years with staggered terms (effective at a future election), clarifying that the town council has specific authority to solicit and select a town administrator, and potentially making the town treasurer and town clerk appointed positions rather than elected offices.
Councilors debated procedural details: whether the change to four‑year terms could take effect in the upcoming election cycle, how many applicants the personnel board should forward to the council for town‑administrator selection, and whether duties should remain with the personnel board. Several members said they supported moving the language forward for refinement and public comment; the solicitor said straw votes and language tweaks would be finalized for the public hearing and the August 5 deadline for ballot placement.
The council moved multiple individual charter sections — including Article 2 (transfer of town land), Article 4 (town council terms), Article 6 (financial officers and transition of treasurer), Article 8 (town clerk), and various boards and commissions provisions — to public hearing with instructions for the solicitor to clarify transitional language and specific mechanics.
Next steps: refined ordinance language will be posted for a public hearing and, if approved, the items would be prepared for inclusion on the ballot subject to the secretary of state’s deadlines.
