To the editor:

There are five local ballot questions put to Barrington voters this year. All would change the town charter. The specific language of the change is accompanied by a brief explanation put forth by the town council. The supporting explanations therefore all support the changes. In contrast, I see some problems and offer the following rebuttals:

Question 3 regarding Constables – “This provision would remove the Police Chief’s authority to appoint constables.” According to https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/constable, a constable is “An official of a Municipal Corporation whose primary duties are to protect and preserve the peace of the community.” This appears to be an attempt to limit the ability of the Barrington Police to enlist the help of the public in an emergency. Why would we want to remove a provision that helps the police to ‘preserve the peace of the community? Recommend: REJECT.

Question 5 regarding Financial Town Meeting – adding language that allows the Town Council to usurp authority for the budget in a declared emergency. This looks suspiciously like a power grab by the Town Council disguised as a precaution. This proposed charter amendment gives the Town Council the authority to bypass the FTM by declaring an emergency. I do NOT want to give away the power of the people to control our budgets and taxes. The Financial Town Meeting is our power. Our Town Council just renewed the Emergency Declaration to keep us in a state of emergency. They could keep us in a state of emergency indefinitely; and based on their comments at the last Council meeting, they have no compunction about doing so. Recommend: REJECT.

Geoff Grove

Barrington