Efforts to become Charlton Town Moderator

I’ve heard from Mr. Singer (the former Town Moderator, recently elected to the Board of Selectmen) that he was told that the Selectmen will be appointing the vacant position of Town Moderator for the remainder of the year. Today’s Southbridge Evening News reports that it’s Mr. Singer himself who appoints his successor, although I’m pretty sure that that’s just another error by the paper. My reading of Town Meeting Time and M.G.L. c. 39 §14 says that the position is appointed “by the voters of the town”, which I think means that it would be selected at the next Town Meeting.

I sent an email last night to the office of the Board of Selectmen saying that I was interested, and I just called them to confirm they received it. They said that they had, and that they were checking with Town Counsel (the town’s lawyer) to see what exactly the procedure is.

In any event, I’ll be attending the Selectmen’s meeting tomorrow evening (their only meeting before the Town Meeting on May 18) to see the status. Even if they aren’t the appointing authority, it may be good for them to recommend somebody to Town Meeting, and at the very least whomever will be taking the job should be familiar with the warrant and the Selectmen’s expected motions on the articles.