CHELSEA — Residents going to the polls in November will be asked to establish a town charter commission.

Linda Leotsakos, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, and Selectman Ben Smith advocated for a municipal charter during their campaigns this past spring.   

Smith said selectmen agree a charter is necessary to establish sound municipal government. It also would provide elected municipal officers with needed guidance on how town business is conducted, he said. 

“A charter could include language relating to the powers and responsibilities of the Board of Selectmen and the town manager, and it could provide mechanisms for their removal,” Smith said.“Obviously, this sort of guidance could have been very helpful for the town in recent years and the last few months.” 

Leotsakos agreed. 

“In many ways, Chelsea is at a crossroads,” Leotsakos said. “A charter will help define obligations and duties of municipal officers and will provide needed guidance. A charter could also allow the town to adopt a different form of government — such as a town council or board of selectmen consisting of more than three individuals.

“This could broaden the perspectives and views of the board and ensure that greater input is provided by Chelsea’s citizens.”

Town attorney Stephen Langsdorf said charters are extremely important to municipalities. He said it allows the town to establish its own procedures and guidelines rather than, in some cases, having to follow state law.

“Basically, it gives the town opportunity to establish its own government in a way it wouldn’t otherwise be allowed if you didn’t have a charter,” Langsdorf said. “It organizes a lot of things into one document and makes (town business) more transparent.”

Geoff Herman, director of the state and federal relations at the Maine Municipal Association, said only 75 of Maine’s 475 towns have charters; all 22 of its cities do.

A municipality must have a charter if it operates under a council form of government, he said.

He said municipalities adopt charters for a variety of reasons. Herman said a municipality used to need a charter if it wanted to create a town manager form of government or a citizen-initiative process.

“A smaller community that adopts a charter may have issues and wants to resolve them in the strongest possible way,” he said. “For example, maybe a town wants a conflict-of-interest policy.”

Chelsea has been considering enlarging the Board of Selectmen from three to five members.

Town Manager Scott Tilton said that matter could be addressed in a town charter.

Maine Municipal Association spokesman Eric Conrad said smaller municipalities tend to be the ones that don’t have charters.

“In Maine, a town like Chelsea with 2,676 people, is above average in population,” Conrad said. “There are many towns across the state with 1,500 or fewer people.”

Herman said a charter is the municipal equivalent of a state or federal constitution. Within the charter are such essentials as the structure of government, the distribution of power within the government, and a citizen’s access to government.

“They certainly can be changed, but the policies embedded in (a charter) are more or less set in stone,” Herman said. “Charters can’t be overridden by an ordinance, so they’re very important.

“In fact, the process to establish them recognizes that importance because it’s a time-consuming process. … It would take a full year to develop a charter commission, appointing and establishing one, and having the commission’s work finally accepted by voters.”

Former Selectman Sharon Morang said a year ago she would have been against a town charter.

That was before the arrest of Selectman Carole Swan, who was indicted July 28 on four charges pertaining to her official duties. Swan’s case is pending.

Today, Morang supports the idea.

“When you have a charter, you have certain rules and regulations, so it does restrict you a bit,” she said. “But if it protects us like we need to be protected — we’ve been robbed repeatedly over the years — I think it’s the best thing since water.

“It would stop people from stealing from the town and taking from those who really need it. I’m full heartily for it.”

Polls will be open Nov. 8 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Town Office.

Mechele Cooper — 621-5663
[email protected]