On March 14, Gov. Maura Healey signed legislation extending the terms of Marblehead Select Board members from one year to three years. The home-rule petition, which was the result of a positive vote at 2023 Town Meeting, will take effect immediately, increasing the importance of the upcoming June 11 town election.
State Rep. Jenny Armini and Sen. Brendan Crighton expedited the home-rule petition through both chambers of the state legislature over the past year before it reached Gov. Healey’s desk for approval.
The decision to extend the Select Board members’ terms seeks to address concerns about the constant campaigning required by the previous one-year term system, which some argued hindered long-term planning and effective governance.
Under the new system, the top two vote-getters in the 2024 election will initially receive three-year terms, while the next two will serve two-year terms. The fifth-place finisher will hold office for one year before facing re-election in 2025. This staggered approach aims to maintain an experienced base even as new members join the board.
However, the governor’s signature coincides with a citizen petition sponsored by Dwight Grader of Mill Pond, which will be taken up at Marblehead Town Meeting in May. The petition seeks to reverse the recent change to three-year terms.
“It would go through the same home-rule petition process,” Armini told the Current on Friday. “It would be a hard sell, given the Legislature just took up three years.”
According to the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Marblehead was the last remaining Massachusetts town to elect its Select Board members to one-year terms, a practice dating back to 1649.
Jim Zisson, who sponsored the 2023 Town Meeting article, argued that the Select Board serves as the town’s chief executive body, and longer terms would enable the more effective pursuit of long-term strategies and objectives.
Before Town Meeting, the Select Board was divided on the proposed change in term length. Newer members Erin Noonan and Alexa Singer favored the three-year terms for enhanced long-term planning, while longer-tenured members like Moses Grader defended the one-year terms, asserting that they allow voters to swiftly address dysfunctional boards.
Supporters of the change also point out that it aligns with the terms of other town boards, such as the School Committee.
Conversely, some residents have voiced concerns about the loss of the annual opportunity to hold Select Board members accountable through elections. They contend that one-year terms allow voters to quickly address any issues with the board’s performance or dynamics.
