Framingham First Says It Has Collected 3,000 Signatures

Framingham First, an organization looking to change the Town of Framingham’s form of government, is halfway towards its first major hurdle - collecting 6,000 signatures to get on the town’s annual election ballot.

Framingham First treasurer Dennis Cardiff said the organization has 3,000 “raw signatures.”

Cardiff announced the news at the organization’s fourth neighborhood meeting Wednesday night at the Art House Grille on Water Street.

State law requires those interested in creating a Charter Commission to collect a minimum 15 percent of the registered voters in town (about 5,375 signatures for Framingham) via petition.

The signatures are considered “raw” until certified by the Town Clerk’s office.

Once the signatures are verified, then voters, via a ballot question, will be asked in spring 2016, if they wish to create a 9-member charter commission to review and make recommendation on changes to the Town of Framingham’s form of government.

At that same spring 2016 election, voters also would elect the 9 individuals to serve on the commission. Those interested in running for charter commission need to collect signatures to appear on the ballot as well.

Last night, more than two dozen residents attended the fourth neighborhood meeting sponsored by Framingham First.

Framingham First’s chair is one of Framingham’s five selectmen Jason Smith.

Smith has said that the current form of government “broken.” He has stated that a new form of government is needed for more ”accountability” and “transparency.”

Other Framingham First Committee members include two former Selectmen, a former School Committee member, and Town Meeting members.

Former Framingham State Representative and Selectman John Stefanini talked last night about how 50 percent of Framingham’s 216 elected Town Meeting members were elected with less than 10 voters or no votes at all.

“This is not a system that is striving,” he said.

And in regards to accountability, Town Meeting’s new electronic voting is only used less than 50 percent of the time in the last three years since it was implemented, said Smith.

If voters agree to form a Charter Commission in the spring of 2016, the Commission would be tasked to study forms of government for up to 18 months and then make recommendations on possible changes, including the possible of option of becoming a city to voters.

Voters would have the final say sometime in 2017, if everything goes as planned for Framingham First.

This is a second group in less than 3 years, which has tried to change Framingham’s form of government.

In 2013, another group of Framingham residents tried to gather signatures to put a charter question on a town-wide ballot and failed in 2014.

Citizens for a Better Framingham fell about 1,000 signatures short of needed amount for a ballot question.

Framingham has created several Charter Commissions over the years.

Back in 1996, 63 percent of Framingham voters agreed to create a charter commission to study the idea of changing Framingham from a town to a city form of government.

But a year later, the when the commission asked voters to adopt a city charter the measure was rejected with only 32 percent of voters supporting the ideas.

Voters did agree to increase the number of Selectmen from 3 to 5 and create a Town Manager form of government in town.

Among those in attendance Wednesday night at Framingham First’s meeting was Framingham State Rep. Chris Walsh, who has thrown his support for a charter commission, former Finance Committee Chair Betty Funk, and Saxonville Town Meeting member Audrey Hall.