Town’s election-lottery bill on governor’s desk Armini optimistic that Healey will sign home-rule petition

BY WILLIAM J. DOWD

A bill that would establish a lottery system to determine the order of candidates listed on town election ballots in Marblehead is now awaiting Gov. Maura Healey’s signature.

The Massachusetts House and Senate gave their final approval to the proposed legislation last week. The bill originated as a citizen petition passed as Article 39 at Marblehead Town Meeting in 2022.

If signed into law, the bill would require Town Clerk Robin Michaud to hold a lottery for each race, drawing the names

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Attridge appeared to be adhering to a “Practical Guide to Town Meeting” published last year by his predecessor, Gary Spiess. In that document, Spiess addressed issues that had come up periodically during his years in the role and outlined how he planned to exercise the broad discretion given to the moderator under the town bylaws.

Lynn Nadeau presented two articles, Articles 51 and 52, urging town boards to record and post meeting minutes and to hold hybrid meetings so more people at home can participate. They both passed easily.

“Unfortunately, there are some chairs — and you know who you are — who won’t make meetings available even for members who can’t get to the meetings,” Nadeau said. “That’s not right.”

Resident Judith Black spoke in favor of the articles, dismissing concerns that volunteers may not have the technological knowhow to run hybrid or remote meetings.

“This is not neuro-science. Now, I’m technologicallychallenged — and even I know how to set up an Owl,” said Black, referring to a plug-andplay video conferencing camera. “This is not rocket science.” of all qualified candidates to determine their order on the ballot. Historically, Marblehead has listed incumbents first, then challengers.

Before Nadeau gave her pitch for her proposals, Amy Drinker, who co-chaired a moderator’s committee created by Article 44 of the 2022 Town Meeting to study the issue of remote participation, provided a short summary of the committee’s findings, the full details of which are available on the town website.

The lottery system is more fair, say supporters.

“It will create a level playing field for all candidates,” said Bonnie Grenier, who was among the Marblehead League of Women Voters members who championed the citizen petition process last year.

Several neighboring cities and towns in Massachusetts have undertaken legislative measures to randomize the order in which candidates are listed on their nnn

That report outlined some of the logistical challenges currently standing in the way of expanding hybrid or remote meeting access. For example, the meeting room at the Judy and Gene Jacobi Community Center would need approximately $6,000 worth of technological upgrades, and the lack of Recreation and Parks staff consistently on duty in the evening hours to operate the equipment would be another potential impediment, Drinker explained.

On the second night of Marblehead Town Meeting, boos erupted when Town Moderator Jack Attridge tried to adjourn twice, as attendees wanted to stay and debate about leaf blowers.

In all, attendees cleared 18 articles, including sending a $2.5 million override to the ballot box and giving the town’s leaf blower ban more teeth, leaving just a half-dozen citizen petitions left. Here are a few other highlights from the night:

Three-year terms for Select Board

Voters passed Article 44, which proposed amending the bylaw to change the current term of the Select Board from a one-year term to a three-year staggered term. This new structure is similar to the School Committee and most other local Select Boards.

Sponsor Jim Zisson said of the three-year term, “It improves governance and builds commitment.” and side yard setback located at 10 Pitman Road in the Single Residence District. The new construction will be within the side yard setback. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker ’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law G.L. c. 30A, § 18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this 1neeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting htt ps: // us0 6we b.z oo1n. us/ j/8 78783 4728 2?pwd =en lwRX d3V 2xm dH E3cy92SklTUlBTUT09 Dial in+ 1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the 1neeting but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comn1ent. Interested persons n1ay also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record.

“We want our Select Board to focus on running the town, not running for re-election,” he said.

Two former members of the Select Board rose to speak against the proposal, however.

Several neighboring cities and towns in Massachusetts have undertaken legislative measures to randomize the order in which candidates are listed on their ballots ballots in recent years, including Swampscott, Beverly, Lynn, Peabody, Saugus and Salem. “I think Danvers has been doing this since 1974,” said Grenier. “So we’re kind of coming at this a lot later than a lot of other towns and see it as a way to encourage more citizens

Harry Christensen, a 20-year Select Board member, said he had gathered signatures and put signs on lawns throughout that time, and “never once did it interfere with my duties as a Marblehead selectman, including the 10 years that I was the chairman.”

Every once in a while, there is a major problem with a board member, he noted. He had “labored” through one of those times, but fortunately only for a year, he said.

“I shudder to think what would have happened if that person were a member of the board for three years,” Christensen said.

John Whipple, who served on the board for 16 years, said, “What other cities and towns do doesn’t matter, as far as I am concerned. We do what we want in the town of Marblehead.”

While Christensen and Whipple argued that one-year terms promote accountability, Zisson had earlier noted, “The smaller field allows voters the chance to focus on individual candidates.”

The Select Board’s staggered terms will now align with the School Committee and other town board, with one or two three-year seats up for election annually.

“This allows for experienced people to remain as new people come on,” Zisson said.

In order to implement this transition to three-year terms, terms will be assigned to the winning candidates based on their vote totals in the town election the year after the enactment of the bylaw amendment. The recipients of the first and second highest vote totals will each receive threeyear terms, the third and fourth to run for elected office in Marblehead.”

The public would have the opportunity to be present during the ballot-order drawing.

Grenier credited the home-rule petition’s passage to the town’s legislators, Rep. Jenny Armini and Sen. Brendon Crighton.

“They were so diligent; they stayed on top of this,” Grenier said. “If they hadn’t kept at it, I don’t think we would be here right now.”

Armini lauded the Marblehead League of Women Voters for bringing the issue to the fore.

“The Marblehead League of Women Voters’ tireless advocacy highest will each receive twoyear terms, and the fifth highest recipient will receive a one-year term.

COLA base increased

Town Meeting adopted Article 33, paving the way for the base upon which Marblehead’s costof-living adjustments are made to the Marblehead pension system to increase from 12,000 to $14,000.

At present, the COLA adjustment of 3% is applied to the first $12,000 of a person’s total pension, known as the “COLA base.”

Before the May 2 vote, Marblehead’s COLA base had remained stagnant at $12,000 for many years.

Town Meeting’s adoption means 325 retirees and beneficiaries will now be eligible for the $14,000 base, effective July 1, 2023. A Marblehead Retirement Board analysis determined that the change would raise the average annual pension by $460.92 to $29,530.54, or $38.41 per month.

Public-shade trees

Article 42’s adoption created a public shade tree bylaw that permits the town to plant trees on private property “within 20 feet of the public right of way, provided that written permission from the adjoining property owner is obtained first.” Its passage comes as Marblehead invests millions of dollars into creating and improving sidewalks around town. Officials do not want tree-root growth to damage them.

Property tax abatement

Cheers erupted when Town Meeting passed Article 43, providing for local property tax exemptions for the surviving parents or guardians of soldiers brought this bill to life and fueled the legislative process,” Armini told the Current. “Thanks to them, Marblehead elections will be more fair and welcoming to all candidates — starting this June.” and sailors, members of the National Guard and veterans whose proximate cause of death was related to their service. Its passage means these Gold Star families would not have to pay property taxes on their Marblehead homes, but they will need to petition the Board of Assessors for the abatement annually.

The Legislature ran out of time to pass the bill during the previous legislative session but now has reached the finish line, needing just Healey’s formal approval.

The passage of the home-rule petition comes days after Town Meeting sent a similar petition to Beacon Hill, this one to change Select Board terms from one year to three years.

“Marblehead has always been a very strong supporter of the veteran community, and adoption of this article would demonstrate that continuous support,” Town Assessor Karen D. Bertolino. She noted one family in town qualifies for the abatement at present.

Electronic counting devices

The Town Meeting approved Article 36, which updates the General Bylaws to allow the use of electronic counting devices during town meetings. With this change, the moderator can choose to utilize these devices for more efficient voting. If electronic devices are used, the traditional methods of counting votes, such as manually or through written ballots, will be bypassed.

Date of elections changed

Article 38 was approved, changing the date of the Annual Town Election due to the recognition of Juneteenth. Back in 2019, when the town voted to change the election date, voters didn’t know that Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the emancipation of African Americans who were enslaved, would soon gain widespread recognition, including by the federal government. Now, the town clerk will stage elections on the second Tuesday after the first Monday in June, instead of the third.