UPDATED: Framingham Voters Will See Charter Commission Question on 2016 Ballot

Originally posted at 3:55 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16. Updated for Thursday newsletter.

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Framingham voters in March 2016 will be asked if they want to create a 9-member Charter Commission to study Framingham’s form of government.

Framingham First, an organization looking to change Framingham’s town form of government, has collected enough signatures to get the charter question on the town’s annual election ballot next year.

The Framingham Town Clerk’s office certified the signatures this afternoon, Dec. 16.

Framingham First collected 5,660 certified signatures, according to the Town Clerk’s office. 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.

On March 29, Framingham Voters will now not only elected 2 Selectmen and 2 School Committee members, and other town officials, but they will decide if a Charter Commission should be formed to study and possibly change Framingham’s form of government.

Framingham currently is run by a Town Manager, a 5-member elected Board of Selectmen, and Town Meeting. Residents elect 12 Town Meeting members for each of the town’s 18 precincts.

Also on that March 29 ballot, Framingham voters will select 9 individuals to serve as Charter Commission, if voters say yes to the Commission.

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, as early as spring 2017.

“As the Chair of Framingham First, I am very excited that we are on the ballot in 2016,” said Framingham Selectman Jason Smith.

“The residents of Framingham deserve an opportunity to make a decision on the form of government that is best for the entire community,” said Smith. “As the demographics and the economy of Framingham have evolved over the years, so too has our government, from Danforth Farms to Plymouth Church to open Town Meeting to Representative Town Meeting to a Town Manager. The time has come once again to modernize our local government.”

A Charter Commission could recommend Framingham become a City with a mayor.

A Charter Commission could recommend Framingham have a city manager and a city council and eliminate Town Meeting.

A Charter Commission could recommend Framingham reduce the number of elected Town Meeting member and keep its Town form of Government.

In fact, there are dozens of options the Commission could recommend to voters on a future ballot.

“It has been clear for quite some time that Framingham has outgrown its form of government,” said Framingham First member and elected Town Meeting member Janet Leombruno.

“I truly believe our current form of government is holding us back,” said Leombruno. “We now have an opportunity to study other types of more efficient and effective methods that can help Framingham maximize its potential.”

There are already more than a dozen individuals, who have taken out nomination papers to be a Charter Commissioner as of Dec. 1.

Any registered voter in Framingham, who would like to run for Charter Commission, must gather a 100 signatures of registered voters and submit to the Town Clerk’s office by 5 p.m. on Feb. 9.

Framingham Patch was the first media outlet to report on the creation of Framingham First earlier this year.

Leombruno said the collection of the signatures was “truly a team effort.” She said it would not have happened with out the dozens of volunteers and contributors. Some of those volunteers included high school students, who wanted to have a say in how their town is operated.

Framingham First was the second group in less than 3 years, that wanted to change Framingham’s form of government.

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.

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Photo courtesy of Framingham First. Pictured is Framingham First committee member Janet Leombruno turning in the last of the signatures sheets to Framingham Assistant Town Clerk Lisa Ferguson.