GEORGETOWN – The SelectBoard is considering whether this town should be governed under a different charter than the one it has and will be looking for nine volunteers to form an exploratory committee and prepare a final report to help the BoS decide what if it’s worth further looking into.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to serve your community and make a real long-lasting difference,” wrote SelectBoard Chair Robert Hoover. The goal, he said, is to “find the best form of government that best fits our town.”
Georgetown is currently governed by a Town Meeting of town residents that meets at least once a year and a five-member elected SelectBoard that meets usually twice a month. Day-to-day operations are run by a Town Administrator, appointed by the SelectBoard.
The charter exploratory committee, appointed by the SelectBoard, will be asked to investigate if a new charter can help the town government function more efficiently and effectively. It will make a recommendation to the SelectBoard if looking into a new charter is it worth pursuing.
“Not all our local government issues are charter related,” Hoover wrote. But he said he believes that Georgetown has “Too many problems to correct with new bylaws alone.”
Thirteen years ago, the Town of Georgetown, Financial Management Review, Division of Local Services / Technical Assistance Section wrote: “The Town of Georgetown has a relatively sound financial foundation, and municipal government functions reasonably well. However, its present condition is not the by-product of a well-organized town government. Success has been achieved despite the current system and is due instead to the willingness of individuals to make a decentralized government structure work.”
Under the current form of government, the conclusion was that “The town’s government is decentralized, with 12 (today it’s 23) separately elected and appointed boards and officials. There is no one board or official that can be held truly accountable and responsible for the overall management and financial well-being of the community. It is not an environment where coordinated solutions are easily developed.”
To volunteer for the exploratory charter committee, please contact Hoover or any member of the SelectBoard or the Town Administrator. ♦
