HYANNIS – The Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates moved forward with an ordinance that would allow for members of the Board of Regional Commissioners to be recalled.
Assembly Clerk Owen Fletcher said they’ve been working with county legal counsels to make amendments to the document.
“Unlike a normal ordinance, because it deals with the term of office for the board, it cannot go to the legislature and be filed unless the board of commissioners approve,” Fletcher said.
Fletcher said that officials with Cape & Islands State Senator Julian Cyr’s office advised the ordinance should be filed by January 20.
He added that Governor Charlie Baker vetoed the measure the last time legislators tried to file it in January 2021.
Brewster Delegate Mary Chaffee said initial conversations to craft a recall provision began a few years ago because “the community asked for it.”
“We realized that the county charter, as well written as it is, it lacked a recall mechanism, meaning that the voters in Barnstable County had absolutely no power to recall an elected official,” Chaffee said.
She clarified that the provision is only for county commissioners because they serve four-year terms while members of the assembly only serve two-year terms.
County Commissioner Sheila Lyons doesn’t support recall measures.
“I really feel that elections are the best way of recall. When you have a bad apple and when you realize that that’s what’s gone wrong, the community recognizes it and mobilizes, and corrects that mistake,” Lyons said.
She added she thought the recall provision was brought forth because of a “prior commissioner.”
After her comments, Barnstable Delegate and Assembly Speaker Patrick Princi asked Lyons what she thought about the possibility of two year terms for county commissioners.
She responded saying four-year terms were good and a change in term length would require a change to the county charter.
The assembly was unanimous in passing the ordinance. Next, the document goes before the county commissioners for approval. The commissioners next meet on Wednesday, January 11.
By Brian Engles, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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