Representatives from The Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management presented a detailed road map for Marblehead’s charter review process during a recent Select Board meeting, emphasizing the importance of deep community engagement to ensure the final proposal reflects residents’ priorities.
As the Select Board takes steps to establish a charter review committee, its members are turning to Collins Center — which is based at UMass Boston and has assisted approximately 10% of Massachusetts’ 351 communities in developing or revising their charters — to guide the town through the complex process of reviewing and potentially adopting a charter.
Marblehead has been operating without a formal charter since its incorporation in 1649.
“Marblehead is fast approaching its 375th anniversary,” noted Collins Center Director Michael Ward as he displayed historical documents from the Legislature’s archive chronicling state lawmakers’ votes to incorporate Marblehead.
“Let me be the first to wish the town a happy 375 birthday in a couple of months.”
The town government has been guided by a patchwork of bylaws, special acts and provisions that have accumulated over the centuries.
Ward highlighted the significance of a charter as the foundational document for a municipality, outlining its governmental structure, organization and essential functions.
“A charter is really your constitution,” Ward explained. “Think of it as the framework which lays out the key elements of your town government.”
Officials are considering pursuing what is known as a special act charter, Ward said, which would involve the Select Board appointing a committee to spearhead the review process. The committee would spend an estimated 12-18 months studying Marblehead’s existing governmental organization, collecting input from residents and stakeholders, researching best practices from comparable towns and ultimately drafting a proposed charter. The Select Board is currently seeking letters of interest and resumes from residents who wish to volunteer on the charter committee: Interested parties must submit letters of interest and resumes via email to wileyk@marblehead.org before Friday, March 22.
“The first step is for the committee to really familiarize itself with the current structure and operations of the town,” Ward said. “We suggest doing this with two key questions in mind: what’s working well that you want to maintain, and what are some areas that could be improved.”
Throughout the review, the Collins Center would be available to assist with research tasks like surveying comparable towns and identifying relevant best practices and case studies. The Center could also help the committee seek public input through forums, focus groups and online tools.
Once the committee’s work is complete, any recommended charter would need to win approval from Town Meeting and the Legislature. The final step would be a vote by Marblehead residents to ratify the document.
“We’ve seen an uptick in communities looking to modernize their charters in recent years,” Wilson said. “There’s a recognition that having a clear, thoughtful framework for governance is essential, especially as the responsibilities of municipalities become more complex.”
When implementing a new charter, Ward emphasized a cookie-cutter solution would not suffice.
“Marblehead’s charter must reflect the town’s unique character, culture and priorities,” he said.
In lieu of a formal charter, Marblehead’s government operates under an amalgamation of state laws and local bylaws, with piecemeal revisions and additions added when needed. As such, the town possesses a decentralized government with power distributed across dozens of elected and appointed entities. No single body or official can easily accumulate or exert excessive power.
Some areas the Collins Center suggests Marblehead examine include clarifying the roles and responsibilities of volunteer boards versus professional staff and analyzing which positions are elected versus appointed.
Select Board members expressed enthusiasm for a methodical evaluation of Marblehead’s government structure, noting that every time Marblehead wants to make specific changes like the number of members on the Board of Health or the length of terms, they must initiate the home-rule petition process.
“This year, we have an article to add a recall provision for elected officials,” said Select Board member Bret Murray. “But I think this is an opportunity to holistically examine our [government] and get advice from experts on best practices and what’s working well for other towns.”
Fellow Select Board member Alexa Singer agreed, saying she looks forward to creating a centralized, user-friendly resource with the town’s governance information.
“I think of how valuable it will be, not just for town officials but for residents, to have a single, clear, understandable document that lays everything out,” Singer said.
Select Board member Moses Grader said the board will continue discussing the prospect of a charter review at upcoming meetings.
“It’s a significant undertaking but also an exciting opportunity to create a roadmap for a more effective, responsive and forward-thinking government,” he said.
