The May 27 Select Board meeting perfectly illustrated why Mattapoisett needs to expand from three to five Select Board members—exactly what Town Meeting voted to support on May 12.

 

Our current three-member structure now presents critical problems in full display. With only three members, just two individuals can make significant decisions. This concentration of power becomes problematic when those same individuals question a democratic vote simply because some residents left afterward, a phenomenon that has occurred at previous controversial votes without anyone questioning those results.

 

Our Select Board members maintain full-time jobs while serving, which limits their capacity to grow the town's priorities. A five-member board would distribute responsibilities more effectively, preventing the delays we're witnessing with this home rule petition.

 

Massachusetts Open Meeting Law prohibits a quorum from discussing business outside meetings. With three members, no two can collaborate between meetings. Five members would allow two to work together on solutions, clearly needed given the current board's handling of Town Meeting directives.

 

When conflicts necessitate recusals, our three-member board becomes a two-member voting body, potentially creating deadlocks. We're seeing similar dysfunction as the board questions whether to follow Town Meeting's clear directive, despite one member previously stating he would "support the will of the citizens at town meeting."

 

At least 36 Massachusetts towns have successfully expanded their Select Boards. This isn't experimental—it's proven governance improvement.

 

The current Select Board's reluctance to move forward with the legislative petition suggests a troubling disconnect from democratic principles. Our community deserves governance that reflects our diversity and addresses our needs efficiently.

 

The Select Board should honor the Town Meeting's majority vote. More importantly, this situation perfectly illustrates why we need five members making these decisions, rather than just three.