Selects Appoint Charter Commission
Weston Today photo
All seats on the newly created Charter Revision Commission were appointed by the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday morning. The commission has six months to recommend changes to Weston’s central governing document, amendments that would be submitted to voters for approval.
Named to the five-member commission were Monica Goldstein, David Muller, Cian Ó’Súilleabháin, Tom Seigel, and Kevin Thompson. Only one, Mr. Muller, currently holds municipal office, a limit imposed by State law. Mr. Muller serves on the Board of Police Commissioners.
By April 24, 2026, the commission must come back to the selectmen with a draft of recommended changes. Meetings will be held in public, and a hearing must be held before substantive work begins. At least one more hearing must precede submission of the commission’s draft report.
The charge
When creating the commission on September 24, the selectmen specified certain matters that must be addressed before any others are considered:
- Enhancements to existing provisions regarding the Town’s financial transparency, budgeting, expenditures, and accounting.
- An evaluation of public engagement with the budget process and how it might be improved.
- Consideration of whether the Charter should more closely align with State law regarding how many members of one political party can serve on a Town board, commission, or committee. (Current Charter provisions are more restrictive than what the statutes allow.)
- An evaluation of the size of Town boards and length of member terms.
- Recommendations for aligning the Charter with State law regarding appointed Town positions and participation in a collective bargaining agreement.
- Revising existing Charter language that is inconsistent, inaccurate, unnecessary, or redundant.
- Considering whether a provision should be added to require Charter review every ten years.
The approval process
Once draft recommendations are submitted, the Charter Revision Commission has 30 days to finalize its report, with or without changes to the draft that may be requested by the selectmen.
After that, the Board of Selectmen can approve or reject the final version. If it is accepted, the matter goes to a public vote, targeted for the November 2026 general election for State offices. Voter turnout must be at least 15 percent.