Town votes against increasing Selectmen
Published on May 12th, 2004
STONEHAM, MA - The Town Meeting voters prefer the current composition of the Stoneham Board of Selectmen...thank you very much.
Town Meeting defeated, not one, but two Articles aimed at raising the number of Selectmen members from its current number of five to seven seats, a total that parallels the number of precincts in the town of Stoneham.
Both votes initiated some discussion, but the results were resoundingly against the measures.
Article 9, sponsored by Stoneham resident Jan Houghton, was created for several reasons, including the division of power within Town Hall's walls.
"The addition of two Selectmen will spread the workload and allow the Board to be proactive and more broadly informed about Stoneham, its people, systems, assets and challenges," said Houghton. "Raising the number of Selectmen to seven decreases an individual Selectmen's influence and ability to put forward self-interest agendas."
"He (The Town Administrator) should not be looking over his shoulder, wondering if Selectmen with a self-interest agenda will be second-guessing him or trying to deter him from what's right for the town," added Houghton, who noted that precincts 4 and 6 currently have no representation.
Houghton likewise cited past precedent in the area, as the citizens of Wakefield voted to increase from five to seven Selectmen while voting against a town council form of government in 1998. The Town Administrator/seven Selectmen system was implemented in April 1999.
Current Selectman Cosmo Ciccarello didn't agree with the article, and articulated as much at the town gathering.
"I'm against this article. When you run for Selectmen, you run for the whole town ," said Ciccarello. "We have five sorrowful mysteries now (on the board)..do you want two more? I don't think you do."
John DeGeorge sponsored Article 10, which likewise dealt with the Selectmen increase, and was also defeated by the Town Meeting crowd.
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