The Barrington Charter Review Commission reviewed the results of a resident survey, explored possible alternatives to the financial town meeting format, and has agreed on a possible new budget-approving approach. 

The Commission reached consensus on a set of conceptual elements that will serve as a framework. This includes breaking up the various functions of the current FTM in a different way so that everything does not have to take place during a single hours-long meeting. 

A key feature of this approach would be separating the public presentation of budget information from the actual vote on the budget.

Under the envisioned approach, the Committee on Appropriations, the Town Council, and the School Committee would host a budget hearing where the proposed budget was presented and residents could ask questions and offer suggestions (similar to the current FTM session), but no vote would take place at that meeting. 

Instead, town officials would have the opportunity to revise the proposed budget based on feedback at the hearing. Residents would have the opportunity to formulate qualified petitions to amend the proposed budget. A second budget hearing would then be held to present the final proposed budget to the public. 

Finally, registered voters would have the opportunity to vote to approve or reject the budget and/or any amendments by casting their ballots during an all-day referendum vote, similar to the process for other elections.

“The Commission also agreed that there was value in retaining the COA in some form, seeing the independent analysis that it brings to the budget process as part of the checks and balances for overseeing the Town’s finances,” stated a recent press release. “The Commission agreed that the election of COA members should be moved in order to involve more voters (currently, the COA election takes place at the very end of the FTM when a small number of residents are still in attendance).”

Recognizing that any changes to the budget approval process might result in some unintended consequences, the Commission will likely recommend that the new referendum process be assessed after a period of time to see if further adjustments are needed.

The Commission will continue its discussion of the new alternative approach, in more detail, at its next meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at Barrington Middle School at 6:30 p.m. 

The Commission hopes to submit its recommendations to the Town Council this spring. Any recommendations would need to be approved by the Town Council before they would appear on the Nov. 2024 ballot for voter consideration.

Survey results

More than 500 residents answered the Commission’s survey that was designed to gather feedback on the current FTM and budget approval process. The results of the survey showed that respondents were not satisfied with the current FTM, stated a release from the Commission. 

“Respondents felt that the current structure, which requires residents to be present at an hours-long meeting one night in May to vote on the budget, limits participation,” stated the release. “Respondents expressed a strong desire to change the process to facilitate greater transparency and encourage a larger and more representative body of voters to participate in the process.” 

The release stated that regardless of a respondent’s age, length of residency in town, or the number of FTMs they had attended, respondents uniformly rated the current FTM process as unsatisfactory.

“Survey respondents were similarly uniform in their strong desire to be involved in the process by having the opportunity to offer amendments to the proposed budget and, ultimately, to have the final say in voting to approve the budget. A number of respondents also pointed out opportunities for using technology (e.g., livestreaming meetings, posting budget proposals on the Town website, possibly online voting, etc.) to improve information sharing, expand participation, and make the overall process more efficient.”

More information, including a full report of the survey results, can be found on the Charter Review Commission website https://www.barrington.ri.gov/452/Charter-Review-Commission. The Commission’s email address – barringtoncharterreview2023@gmail.com – can be used by residents to communicate directly with the Commission to ask questions or share ideas and comments.