BOS to consider postponing, relocating town meeting

Update: Due to the current governor’s advisory regarding large gatherings, the Board of Selectmen has voted to reschedule the 2020 Annual Town Meeting to begin on Tuesday, June 22, at 6 p.m. at Canton High School’s Memorial Field. All registered voters are invited and encouraged to attend. For more information, visit the town meeting page on the town website. Additional details will appear in next week’s Canton Citizen.

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The Canton Board of Selectmen came out of Tuesday night’s meeting unsure if the June 22 town meeting will proceed as scheduled, or be postponed to late July or August. In addition, Town Counsel Paul DeRensis said for safety reasons, the sessions should be held outdoors, in the late afternoon and under sunshine, with all non-essential articles pushed to another session later in the year.

DeRensis said in his opinion, holding town meeting in the Canton High School auditorium beginning June 22 would not be safe enough for elderly residents and town officials — even if residents used additional spaces in the CHS gym or cafeteria.

DeRensis suggested an outdoor venue, possibly the CHS turf field and bleachers, sometime in late August during the afternoon when the pandemic effects could have the least impact.

A pre-planning committee composed of Town Moderator Dick Staiti, Selectmen Chair Chris Connolly, Town Administrator Charlie Aspinwall, and members of the School Committee and Finance Committee were due to meet on Wednesday, May 28, to consider several proposals. Selectmen said they would reconvene before June 9 to make a final decision on when town meeting will be held.

Another option proposed by DeRensis is a drive-in approach where people stay in their cars and vote by cell phone or headlights.

DeRensis said moving town meeting to late August is the safest model. “The two-month delay will save lives,” he said. “We care about everyone who attends town meeting.”

He also said town meeting planners should classify warrant articles as either essential or non-essential and move the non-essential items to another town meeting session later in the year. He suggested expanding the consent agenda to the entire warrant and holding pre-town meeting information sessions to answer questions and hear article presentations. (Articles in the consent agenda can be voted on as a group.) DeRensis also proposed a new rule that would require seven voters to request removal of an article from the consent agenda. Under existing rules, any one voter can remove an article by asking for a “hold” on that article.

Aspinwall and Finance Director Randy Scollins were due to meet to determine the impact of the town approving an emergency “one-twelfth” FY21 budget to cover expenses until town meeting is held.

The reaction among selectmen was mixed and cautious, as several board members said they needed more information …

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Posted by Mike Berger on May 30 2020. Filed under News, Schools, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.