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Hinsdale voters reject petition to cut Planning Board from five members to three

Town of Hinsdale Annual Town Meeting · May 20, 2026
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Summary

A citizen article proposing that the Select Board petition the General Court to reduce the town Planning Board from five members to three failed after a hand count at the May 20 Annual Town Meeting.

HINSDALE — Voters at Hinsdale’s Annual Town Meeting considered a citizens’ article (Article 21) authorizing the Select Board to petition the Massachusetts Legislature for a special act to reduce the elected Planning Board from five members to three with one alternate.

The warrant included a drafted special act specifying how the board would transition, quorum rules and term-staggering language. After presentation, the Moderator called for a hand count of the meeting. The Moderator declared that the motion did not pass.

Town Counsel noted the article was a petition and the warrant text included language authorizing the Select Board to approve clerical or editorial changes, and to approve amendments within the scope of the petition. No other formal action to advance the petition was recorded in the meeting minutes.

Because the motion failed, the Select Board received no authorization at this meeting to file the special-act petition with the General Court.