Nantucket charter text sets town meeting and recall rules

The Select Board would include requested subjects in town meeting warrants, and the town would make warrant copies available online. Annual meeting subjects could be requested by at least 50 registered voters. Special meeting subjects could be requested by at least 100 registered voters. The online-copy rule applies to town meeting warrants. The requests must be made in writing to the Select Board. The bill text also refers to a town meeting clerk who is a registered voter. The bill text does not state whether these provisions depend on separate funding or approval. No separate effective date is stated; these provisions would apply if the measure is enacted.

The charter text would use the town clerk’s prior-March voter count for a 20-percent recall threshold and would shorten a resignation period from seven days to five days. These provisions concern recall petitions and the elected official’s response after the required certification. The voter count would be established by the Town Clerk as of March 1 of the previous year. The bill text also revises recall ballot wording to include the official’s title. The text keeps a requirement that the Select Board act at least 75 days after the certification date. The voter count uses March 1 of the previous year. The resignation period is five days, and the Select Board action must occur at least 75 days after certification.

The Moderator may allow additional nonresident property owners to speak at town meetings, while other charter sections would receive wording changes or be removed. The speaking provision covers annual and special Town Meetings and matters before those meetings. The wording changes concern town administration, and the bill strikes charter section 6.6 entirely. Permission for additional nonresident property owners to speak is left to the Moderator’s sole discretion. The bill text does not provide the subject matter or effect of the section 6.6 language being removed. No separate effective date is stated; these provisions would apply if the measure is enacted.