Government

BOS votes 3-2 to overturn term limits for themselves

At their meeting Monday night, the Board of Selectmen voted 3 to 2 to overturn term limits for themselves. The item, which had not been on the public agenda, was introduced by Carrie Castonguay, town manager, after the meeting was underway. Head Selectwoman Linda Chase had contacted her Monday morning and asked her to consult with the Maine Municipal Association for a legal opinion on term limits, and the MMA attorney said she believed that a town charter was required for this to take effect. Vice-chair Steve Libby moved to uphold the MMA legal opinion  and invalidate term limits, and directed the town manager to consult with the town’s attorney and report back to the board.

Action to establish term limits was introduced by citizen petition last year, and the town’s attorney reviewed and approved the language for the ordinance that was approved by voters 60 to 40-% at the 2017 town meeting. Linda Chase, who took out nomination papers despite being termed out of office this spring, voted along with Steve Libby and Lenora Conger to invalidate the ordinance. Libby and Conger’s terms would have been limited in 2019. Steve Hawthorne and Joe Davis were opposed. Watch the video of the meeting from about 58:00-1:14. (If you have trouble viewing the video from the link, go directly to the town website at www.newglocuester.com, scroll town on the left side to Public Cable video to find the April 2 Selectmen’s meeting.)