Town Notes
Published on October 11th, 2000
STONEHAM, MA - Changing town government
oSelectman Pat Jordan has long been a proponent of altering town government. He has been quoted touting the merits of a mayoral system with a city council.
A survey of approximately 4,000 Stoneham citizens, conducted by the Community Visioning Committee and released in Dec. 1999, listed changing the town government as 44th of 100 top priorities.
Finance and Advisory Board Chairman Rich Gregorio said that the data he has seen from the Visioning Committee and his discussions with citizens indicate a desire to tweak but not abandon the open town meeting format.
Citizen and political watchdog John DeGeorge said he has long desired alterations in the existing town meeting format.
Local citizens or officials can propose to alter town government in any way imaginable, but state approval is necessary to institute such changes. People in the Attorney General's Office rarely return phone calls, but since most of what they know is common knowledge, Jordan, Gregorio and DeGeorge are aware that any changes made by Selectmen or on the floor of Town Meeting cannot become law without the imprimatur of the Attorney General.
When Wakefield citizens embarked on revision of their government in 1999, they formed an elected charter commission. The commission met for a year and agreed on two options. These options were put to the people as a ballot question, under specifications mandated by the Attorney General.
Stoneham folks including Jordan and DeGeorge have expressed the interest and will to move faster.
A town meeting article at a special town meeting down the road could perhaps get the ball rolling. And usually the Attorney General requires that the final decision be made at the polls.
One thing is certain: no changes can be made without the at least tacit approval of the entire population of registered voters — the people who have the final say under the open town meeting system.
Denny's is closing
oDenny's Restaurant at 10 Main Street is closing as of Nov. 1, 2000.
Bike path battles
oCameron Bain has withdrawn his request for a Special Town Meeting to ask for $61,000 to start work on the Tri-Community Bike Path, a project approved by the state and Town Meeting.
Bain agrees with town officials that the money can come from state road funds at anytime once the MBTA gives the town permission to use targeted railroad right of way land.
At the Oct. 10 Selectmen's meeting, Bain and town officials agreed that there is no need to spend the money until the land is available.
However, disagreement re-mains about where the path should go. This will be the next battle in the bike path war.
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