Town Charter Amendments—Which Should You Approve Or Reject?

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Please Reject Charter Questions 7, 10, 14, 15, and 17


7) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE: TOWN COUNCIL ELECTIONS (Part 2 – Town Council – Article VI – § C-19 – Number, Elections & § C-21 – Officers) Shall the Charter be amended to provide that a Town Council member’s term of office shall be four (4) years with staggered terms of two (2) members in one election cycle and three (3) members in the next election cycle and that the Town Council President shall be elected by its members to be effective for the 2026 election and phased in over the 2026 and 2028 election cycles?

Reject
Why Reject?
Extending the terms of office for Town Council Members reduces the power of voters to elect or remove council members they agree or disagree with. The Town Council has a great deal of power and CCA believes it should be held accountable for its choices every two years.

This amendment would also create a cycle where the majority of the town council would be elected in our off-year elections when far fewer citizens vote.

With only 2 or 3 Town Council positions on the ballot, it would take 4 years to change the majority, and it would be impossible to ever change the entire Town Council.

10) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE: TOWN ADMINISTRATOR APPOINTMENT AND QUALIFICATIONS (Part 3 – Administrator – Article X -Appointment and Qualifications – § C-42 – Qualifications) Shall the Charter be amended to clarify the process to follow in the solicitation, review, and selection of a Town Administrator, including removal of the requirement that a search committee be established and used to review applicants to be effective upon passage?

Reject
Why Reject?
The citizens of Charlestown deserve to have the best possible candidates for their Town Administrator. The requirement for establishing a search committee when hiring a new Town Administrator was put in place to avoid cronyism and unqualified candidates. The search committee is the best way to involve the citizens in the hiring process so they can make their voices heard. Removing the requirement reduces transparency and may lead to the hiring of less qualified candidates.

14) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE: EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (Part 13 – Officers and Departments – Article XLIII – Emergency Management – § C-153 – Emergency Medical Services) Shall the Charter be amended to require that the Town provide emergency medical services either by a town department or by an appropriately licensed third-party vendor to be effective upon passage?

Reject
Why Reject?
Charlestown recently entered into a three year contract to provide these services to all of our citizens. So there is no rush to commit to a different plan. Before we do that, we certainly should have reasonable estimates of the costs involved. Also, how many town employees would need to be brought on and in what capacity, what level of service is needed, and would this plan increase our taxes? We don’t have nearly enough information to approve this plan, and we have plenty of time to put a well-considered plan in place.

15) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE: PLANNING COMMISSION ELECTIONS (Part 14 – Commissions and Boards -Article LIII – Planning Commission – § C-172 – Establishment and Organization) Shall the Charter be amended to provide that a Planning Commission full member’s term of office shall be four (4) years with staggered terms of two (2) members in one election cycle and three (3) members in the next election cycle and that an alternate member’s term of office shall remain at two (2) years to be effective for the 2026 election and phased in over the 2026 and 2028 election cycles only if ratified and confirmed by the RI General Assembly before the 2026 election cycle?

Reject
Why Reject?
The current six year term provides continuity for long and complex development projects as well as time for new members to get up to speed on local ordinances and developments already in progress.

Sending Planning Commission changes to the state to be ratified is complicated, and could result in Charlestown losing the ability to elect our planning commission. Should we lose our ability to elect our planners, the Town Council would appoint them. This, combined with the first ballot question, if it passes, would shift a great deal of power from our voters to the Town Council. We would have much less say, and fewer chances to vote for how our town is run – and developed.

If this question passes, it will result in a majority of Planning Commissioners (4 or 5) open seats in every election. This will invite developers to get involved in elections and work to seat more development-friendly Commissioners or to retaliate and unseat anyone who votes to protect neighborhoods or natural resources.

17) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE: DUAL OFFICE HOLDING (Part 15 – General Personnel Provisions- Article LVIII – Dual Office Holding – § C-185 – Restrictions) Shall the Charter be amended to provide that the Town Council be authorized to waive the one (1) position office holding restriction upon a determination that the nominee has special qualifications or for other good reason upon a unanimous vote of the Town Council provided no person shall serve on more than two (2) boards or commissions to be effective upon passage?

Reject
Why Reject?
The actual charter change does not refer to boards and commissions. It refers to every position in town government. The Town Council appoints all office holders, so there is a risk that a future Town Council could further consolidate its influence by appointing a smaller number of people to dual roles in our government. We believe this measure would diminish voters’ and citizens’ input and participation in government.

CCA supports more public involvement in town governance, and boards and commissions function better with all the positions filled. If this concerns you, please consider applying for one of the town’s open board or commission positions. To learn more about the boards, commissions, and committees that need volunteers to serve visit: charlestownri.gov/boards

Please Approve Charter Questions 11, 12, 13, and 16


11) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE:PROCEDURES FOR BUDGET COMMISSION (Part 6 – Finance – Article XXV – Budgeting – § C-79 – Procedures for Commission) Shall the Charter be revised to require the Budget Commission to complete and submit its budget no later than March 15th of each year to be effective upon passage?

Approve
Why Approve?
This amendment will help ensure a timely budget process

12) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE:FINANCIAL REFERENDUM NOTICE (Part 6 – Finance – Article XXVI – Financial Referendum – § C-87 – Notice) Shall the Charter be amended to provide that the Board of Canvassers shall have the authority to determine the location of polling places and manner and methods of voting by in person, mail ballot, or as otherwise allowed and permitted by law to be effective upon passage?

Approve
Why Approve?

This amendment affirms that our Board of Canvassers has the authority to do what it already does.

13) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE: FINANCIAL REFERENDUM TAX LEVY (Part 6 – Finance – Article XXVI – Financial Referendum – § C-100 – Setting the Tax Levy) Shall the Charter be amended to require that the tax rate shall be set no later than August 15th of each year to comply with the RI General Laws to be effective upon passage?

Approve
Why Approve?
This amendment ensures that our town stays in compliance with state law.


16) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE: PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS AND QUORUM (Part 14 – Commissions and Boards – Article LIII – Planning Commission – § C-173 – Meetings, Quorum, and Rules) Shall the Charter be amended to require that the Planning Commission comply with the relevant quorum and voting requirements of the RI General Laws to be effective upon passage?

Approve
Why Approve?
This amendment simply updates the Planning Commission’s quorum rules to keep the town in compliance with new state law.

Charter Questions 8 and 9 are Tossups

8) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE: COUNCIL MEETINGS & CONDUCT (Part 2 – Town Council – Article VII – Meetings – § C-28 – Conduct) Shall the Charter be amended to provide that the Council shall adopt and publish its own rules governing the conduct of its meetings, except that, no rule may be implemented that prevents any councilor from placing an item on an agenda for discussion and/or action to be effective upon passage?

Tossup
Why Tossup
The current rules already allow the Council to adopt and publish its own rules. A case could be made that this change would ensure that all agenda items are always addressed. CCA doesn’t think this change is necessary and may force Town Council meetings to run long rather than allowing items to be considered at a future meeting.


9) CHARTER AMENDMENT RE: ORDINANCE ADOPTION PROCEDURE (Part 2 – Town Council – Article IX – Ordinances – § C-33 – Introduction) Shall the Charter be amended to remove the requirement that a proposed ordinance shall be published in a newspaper having distribution within the town and to allow the Town Council to determine the method and nature of such publication in such manner as the Town Council shall prescribe by ordinance to be effective upon passage?

Tossup
Why Tossup
Making sure the citizens of Charlestown are informed about proposed ordinances is vitally important and constitutionally required. Factors for your consideration include: The evolution of how most voters get their information, how many of our voters receive/read the notices posted in The Westerly Sun, how important it is for our town to support The Sun, and the cost-effectiveness of allocating tax dollars to newspaper notifications. CCA can make a case for and against this amendment, but you have to decide which is right for you.

What is the Town Charter?

It starts with “We the people of the Town of Charlestown, in order to secure for ourselves the right of self-government in all local matters, pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, do adopt and establish this Charter.”

The Town Charter was adopted in 1980 and spells out how the town will be run. Changes to the Town Charter must be approved by the citizens of Charlestown before being adopted by the town. If the amendments are approved, they become part of the Town Charter. Amendments that are rejected can be brought back up at the next election if the Town Council feels that they needed some adjustment.