AMHERST — A Select Board member is Amherst’s first town-wide elected official to endorse the charter change that will come before voters next March.
Andrew Steinberg, elected to the board in 2014 after previously serving on the appointed Finance Committee, penned a guest column last week for the Amherst Bulletin, advocating that residents support the proposal. It would eliminate the five-member Select Board and Town Meeting, which features 240 members elected from 10 precincts, replacing both with a 13-member town council.
“A yes vote on March 27 offers Amherst the opportunity to have a year-round effective government in which we can all participate through a democratic process,” Steinberg wrote.
Given that all households are being mailed hard copies of the charter, Steinberg said in a phone interview Thursday, it seemed the appropriate time to express his view on why the Charter Commission’s proposal would improve town government.
“I’ve given a lot of thought to what is the best form of government and participated in the public process for the Charter Commission,” Steinberg said.
Steinberg, a resident since 1980, cites two main reasons for his support.
First, the council, as the legislative branch, would be able to meet throughout the year, unlike Town Meeting, which normally convenes only in the spring and fall.
Second, the new government would be small enough for residents to focus on candidates and their policy ideas. Each council candidate would be more visible, ensuring responsiveness to voters.
Steinberg said he worries that some actions by Town Meeting, especially those that come by petition, can be rushed and not get the proper vetting they need.
“Town Meeting doesn’t provide the opportunity for it to be done right before it’s passed,” Steinberg said.
By contrast, in a council form of government, members could spend time to be educated on an issue.
The remaining four members of the Select Board have not publicly stated their opinions on the charter, but the topic of whether to have a position is on the agenda for Monday’s meeting. Steinberg said he wanted to get his views out early.
Charter Commissioner Meg Gage, who opposes the recommendation and is a member of the Not This Charter group, said she is disappointed, but not surprised, that Steinberg has expressed his opinion in favor of the charter.
“I understand from his point of view that the Select Board is frustrated when things they recommend aren’t approved,” Gage said.
But she said most of what comes before Town Meeting is recommended.
“My concern is the new charter won’t reflect the town and there is no way for residents to express their opinion that has any power,” Gage said. “This change means huge, huge, enormous concentration of power, largely unchecked by any other body.”
As a commissioner, she said the goal of others appeared to be to see the demise of Town Meeting, rather than presenting ideas to make it smaller and to have it meet more frequently.
Jerry Guidera, a spokesman for the Amherst for All campaign that supports the charter, said he also wasn’t surprised to see Steinberg’s column, observing that the Select Board is among committees that have borne the brunt of criticism from Town Meeting members.
“It’s no secret that there’s huge tensions between Town Meeting and the more duly elected boards, like the Select Board and School Committee, and even appointed boards,” Guidera said. “They have the best sense of what that’s like.”
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
