Shelby board places two local-law referenda on November ballot to replace elected clerk and highway superintendent

The Town of Shelby board on July 1 adopted two interim local laws and voted to put both measures before town voters in the Nov. general election.

The board approved one interim local law to abolish the elected town clerk position and create a hired town clerk and a second interim local law to abolish the elected highway superintendent position and create a hired office of town highway superintendent. Chair led the discussion and explained that, "As such, it will be on the ballot. If it's accepted tonight, it's passed, it'll be on the ballot for the November election." The measures are interim local laws that take effect only if approved by voters in November.

Board members debated wording and procedure before taking roll-call votes to adopt each interim law. The board recorded affirmative roll-call votes during both decisions. A board member urged residents that changing to a hired position would not remove voter choice, saying (in reference to the November referendum) that "you will have a choice when you cast your ballot in the election in November." Members repeatedly noted that voters could oppose the changes at the ballot box.

The board framed the proposals as cost and management changes meant to offer the town more flexibility and potential savings, but they did not present a detailed, itemized cost-savings study during the meeting. There was no formal implementation plan presented tonight beyond the language that the town would convert the offices to hired positions if voters approve the measures.

Next steps: the interim local laws adopted tonight will appear on the November ballot as referenda. If voters approve either measure, that interim law will become a local law and the town will proceed to implement the change; if voters reject a measure, the elected office remains in place.