AVON — Residents will be asked if they want to change some elected positions to appointed positions during a special Town Meeting at 10 a.m. Dec. 10 at the Community Building.
Selectpersons are proposing the changes to the positions of tax collector, treasurer, town clerk, road commissioner, health officer and constable, according to a board letter.
The changes would not affect members of the Select Board, School Board and Town Meeting moderator.
The board’s reasoning behind the potential change is “in past decades, Avon has been fortunate to have individuals who were willing to step up to fill these positions to serve the public and learn their duties. The administrative positions in particular have developed into a more technical environment, requiring more advanced skill sets and training. In the future to fill these positions, the town will need to advertise, likely outside of our town, as we may not enough people who are either interested or qualified to fill these positions,” according to the letter.
The current method to replace any of these positions, if vacated during a term, is for the Select Board to hire and appoint someone temporarily to fill that position until the next town meeting.
“It will be difficult to hire someone that may not be able to keep their job under the current method of election of being nominated and elected at Town Meeting,” according to the board.
Anyone who is currently elected in their positions will continue to serve in them.
“The change from elected to appointed would come into effect, if passed, on or after our regular annual Town Meeting in March,” the board state’s in the letter.
The reason for a special Town Meeting for this vote follows a requirement of state statute.
“A town, at a meeting held at least 90 days before the annual meeting, may designate other town officials to be elected by ballot” according to Title 30-A, Section 2525 (2).”
The law reads that the “election of officials at the last annual town meeting is deemed to be such a designation until the town acts otherwise at a meeting held at least 90 days before the annual meeting at which the election will be held.”
The board also asks residents to consider that the appointments of these positions will also allow for oversight from the Select Board, which may be necessary from time to time as well as the ability to fill vacant positions in a timely manner.
Selectpersons Jerry Gilchrist, Jane Thorndike and Tammie Gould are hoping residents will take the time to attend the meeting to discuss views and vote.
A motion can be made at the meeting to determine whether voters want to vote by a show of hands or by secret ballot.
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