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SPENCER — Selectmen will be exploring the possibility of changing the way town government runs.
Spencer’s Board of Selectmen/town administrator method was established by a special legislative act in 1998. Chair Gary Woodbury put the matter on a recent meeting agenda because he feels it is time a review takes place.
“This has been in effect for 28 years now, no updates, no changes,” Gary Woodbury said.
Town Administrator Jeff Bridges agreed, “Thirty years is a long time…It’s maybe something—time to look at.”
The administrator noted other communities, including Sturbridge, periodically re-visit their forms of government.
“Whether the town operates by a charter or like Spencer, was created by a legislative act, town counsel plays an “integral role,” in the process, Bridges said.
Any proposed changes require approval by Town Meeting, then by a referendum vote before being submitted to the state legislature. It could take 18 to 24 months, depending on the number of changes and how much input is garnered from the public, according to the administrator.
He asked Selectmen if they would like town counsel at the next meeting to answer questions and to present an overview. Bridges noted one question to ask would be whether Spencer convert from a special act to a charter form of government.
Vice chair Jonathan Viner said he preferred to receive a written summary of the town’s options before such a meeting takes place.
He also said the board should decide whether it wants to form a town committee to work on possible changes or have a discussion amongst themselves on developing specific changes it would like to see.
Viner said he is personally leaning towards going “the route of a town charter,” but added there are three or four forms of municipal government the town could consider. The vice chair said he needs more information on the pros and cons of each option as well as the differences between them.
Viner said it would be beneficial to move away from a special legislative act, calling it the “least common, most involved and most difficult to change.”
“There’s relatively few towns in the state that have their government established by this (special act),” Viner added.
Selectman Jared Grigg asked whether the other board members had specific changes in mind or whether it would be a more general look at the town government as a whole.
Selectman Chris Woodbury said he wanted to examine the provision about needing a supermajority vote of Selectmen, rather than a simple majority, to remove the town administrator.
He noted he is in favor of a simple majority.
Chris Woodbury spoke about the board having more oversight of contracts.
“Contracts were taken out of our hands and I believe that should be in our hands,” he said.
Bridges disagreed, saying Selectmen still have authority with contracts.
Gary Woodbury agreed, saying, “We absolutely have to sign every contract.”
Christopher Woodbury said he was talking about the interview process with (job) candidates leading up to their appointments.
“I think the process is lacking,” he said. “I think it should be open and this board should have their input before it becomes a nomination to us on every single contracted employee in the town.”
Bridges said the hiring procedure was designed to “de-politicize” the appointment of department heads and town employees and rely instead on “technical professional appointments.”
“It the community wants to reverse that…that’s fine,” Bridges added.
“I see it a different way,” Chris Woodbury replied. “The five members of the board were voted on by the town to do what’s right and I think we need to pull that back and look at certain aspects of contracts and who it is. I have reservations myself personally on those contracts.”
When asked by Bridges to clarify whether it is contracts or appointments with which he took issue, Chris Woodbury replied the board should have input about all contracted employees.
“These are things you’ll flush out as you go,” Bridges said, “which ones are department heads versus contracted.”
“In 1998, when we did this, times were different, entirely different,” noted Gary Woodbury. “It’s always good to look back and try to look ahead. That’s the reason I brought (this) up.”
