By Emma Bouthillette 

Staff Writer

After a year’s worth of meetings, the Kennebunk Charter Commission posed six referendum questions to residents regarding changes to the charter, and with a 7,057 ballots cast, five of the six were approved Nov. 4.

Vote by ballot

The majority of residents approved the first two questions, with 69 percent voting to change the charter to vote on the annual budget exclusively by ballot referendum vote following a public hearing, and 66 percent voting to adopt or amend land use ordinances by referendum. 

While Charter Commission Chairman John Costin said those in favor of the change from town meeting to ballot vote argued that it would allow more residents to vote, Town Clerk Joanna Moran brought the cost of an added ballot election to the attention of the town during a selectmen meeting Oct. 28.

“If the referendum ballot is itemized by line, that could lead to a significant number of pages and could be costly,” Moran said. 

Some potential additional costs include postage, printing, coding, shipping and other possible start-up costs of purchasing new ballot boxes or hiring election staff, she said. Moran estimated the additional costs could total more than $30,000 and said she does not want to be denied an adequate budget because of the increase.

“It’s a small price to pay to have that many more people vote,” Selectman Tom Wellman said during the meeting. 

Selectmen Chairman Wayne Berry said he is more concerned that without the opportunity for debate in a public forum, the town will receive a yes or no vote on a proposed budget or changes to the land use ordinance without justification as to why residents voted the way they did. 

“An open floor town meeting allows to be open for debate,” Berry said. “If it gets voted down, town administration won’t really know why. Hopefully people will come to the public hearings instead.” 

Keeping town meeting

Despite the desire to change voting methods from meeting in the auditorium of the town hall and voting by hand count, 53 percent of voters were against shifting the remainder of legislative authority to  selectmen, rejecting the proposed charter change in referendum question five. 

The two major votes during town meeting regarded the town annual budget and the land use ordinance, Costin said. He said the commission suggested to shift the remaining issues to the selectmen to avoid calling a meeting for a couple items. 

“The miscellaneous stuff will still be dealt with at town meeting,” Costin said. “It is foreseeable there might be years when we won’t schedule a town meeting if there is nothing to be voted on.”

More selectmen with term limits

Referendum questions six and seven regarded changing the number of selectmen on the board and implementing a term limit. Residents approved both proposed changes creating two additional spots to fill the board to its new maximum of seven selectmen by 53 percent yes vote, and 60 percent of voters agreed to create a term limit of no more than three terms without at least a three-year break from office. 

Berry said increasing the number of selectmen will cost more with the addition of new equipment and salaries, as well as take more time in regards to discussion, voting and signing necessary items at meetings.

He said people may think two more board members will give them additional representation. 

“I see the increase as unnecessary,” Berry said. “The term limits are popular though, and nine years is a long time on this board, especially if you are doing your job.”

The remainder of the changes proposed by the charter commission compiled in referendum question eight was approved with 65 percent of residents voting yes.