Brookline To Vote On Whether To Stop Voting For Town Clerk

BROOKLINE, MA — Monday night, during Night 4 of the fall Town Meeting, the town's legislative body voted on several proposals, including to have the position of town clerk, which has been an elected official for decades, be an appointed position instead. It is set to be put to voters in May.

Proponents said as duties have changed over the years, obligations are such that the town needs to rely on people who are recruited, vetted and best-qualified for the job.

Opponents said they worried the independence of the clerk's position would be compromised.

"I believe it imperative the government official charged with protecting, maintaining and operating our elections answer directly to the voter," Town Meeting Member, and State Rep. Tommy Vitolo said, adding that he thought it would be a "tremendous mistake to transfer complete authority over the person charged with ensuring the fairness of our elections from the voter to the most powerful elected officials in our town."

The question came up, because the town's clerk, Pat Ward, has been ill for the past year and unable to work. In his absence, the town's assistant clerk has stepped up and the town has employed a contractor.

Town Meeting Member Scott Ananian said he is disappointed in how the matter was handled, saying the town has had the power to search for and appoint a clerk position under the temporary clerk provision in state law.

Ananian said there are still missing pieces in order to make the change, and won't happen until after town elections in May.

Ward said in a letter to Town Meeting that he was for the change.

The town's some 240 legislators also voted Monday in favor of having a committee study what it would take to bring rank-choice voting, or allowing voters to pick more than one candidate in order of preference, to town elections. They voted in favor of allowing more than just property owners get mailings from the town and asked the Moderator, who appoints people to sit on the town's financial board, to have the diversity commission give him advice on his choices.

The annual Fall Town Meeting began Nov. 17, with the town's legislative branch approving spending an extra $33 million on the renovations at the high school; and then, despite pushback, the 2.5 percent wage increase for the Brookline Police Department. On Night 2 they approved adjusting rules surrounding affordable housing; and a long-awaited decision about short term rental use in town, such as Airbnb, was sent to be discussed at a moderator's committee. On Night 3, the town approved asking the state if they could effectively put a cap on smokers in town and then approved removing all gendered pronouns in its bylaws and general laws.

The town leaders still have two nights of voting.

Check out How Town Meeting voted on Night 4:

Article 18 Ranked-Choice Voting: Resolution to put together a committee to study whether the town should and what it would take to bring ranked-choice voting to town.

• Vote: Advisory committee version, which proposes studying first whether Brookline needs it: Motion fails with 89 in favor, 140 against and 4 abstaining
• Vote: Main motion passes with 186 in favor 34 against and 10 abstaining.

Article: 19 Proposal to have the town clerk's role be appointed one, rather than elected.

• Vote: Passes, with 146, 80 opposed and 4 abstaining

Article 20: Related to bylaw language change regarding town clerk's role.

• Vote: Passes with 160 in favor, 60 opposed and 9 abstaining

Article 24: Proposal related to which residents in addition to homeowners get mail from the town

• Vote: Advisory Committee motion passes with 118 in favor 2 opposed and 5 abstentions
• Vote: Main Motion passes 229 in favor, 1 opposed and 2 abstentions

Article 25: Proposal asking the town to mail business owners in addition to property owners about town issues.

• Vote: Advisory Committee amendment: Passes with 225 in favor, 2 opposed and 5 abstaining
• Vote: Main Motion: Passes with 229 in favor, 0 opposed and 1 abstaining

Article 29: To amend bylaws related to the Advisory Committee, the town's financial board, changes to committee composition and how long they should serve, including instituting a candidate review panel that includes a member of the commission for diversity, inclusion and community relations member to help advise the Town Moderator when he chooses members for the committee.

• Vote: Passes with 158 in favor, 52 opposed and 10 abstaining

Article 30: This proposal would require that the advisory committee include a report on who on the committee voted for what when the votes are recorded.

• Vote: Advisory committee amendment fails.
• Vote main motion: Passes with 203 in favor, 17 opposed and 8 abstaining.

Read more:

Night 3: Brookline Town Meeting Passes Proposal To Phase Out Tobacco Use
Night 2: Brookline Town Meeting Adjusts Affordable Housing, Eyes Airbnb
Night 1: Brookline Town Meeting Approves $33M For Brookline High School

Read more about the full docket at Brookline Fall Town Meeting 2020.

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.