Ware Selectman Richard Norton said reopening the warrant for the Town Meeting for an individual could establish a precedent.
WARE – The Board of Selectmen gave some consideration to a request to reopen the warrant for the May 9 Town Meeting to include a call for special legislation to allow someone to join the Police Department without meeting the maximum age limit, but ultimately rejected the request.
The board voted March 22 not to bring this call for special legislation to the voters at the Town Meeting.
Selectman John Desmond was the only member of the board to vote for the request. Chairman William R. Braman and Selectmen Melissa G. Weise and Richard Norton voted against it.
Town Manager Mary T. Tzambazakis introduced the issue to the board, informing members that a citizen wants a warrant article to request the age waiver, something that would require a positive vote at the Town Meeting and a home rule bill passed by the Legislature.
Tzambazakis said the person interested in applying for a police officer position has experience but is 34 years old; the town has an age cutoff of 32 for new officers.
Tzambazakis did not name the potential applicant but said he was interested before he reached the maximum hiring age, but there were no positions open until now.
“Would you consider a warrant article after closing?” Tzambazakis asked.
Norton responded that doing so would set a bad precedent.
“Writing legislation for one individual, that’s not right,” Norton said. “I would have to say strongly that I don’t want to get on the slippery slope.”
Weise said it would be difficult for the board to vote in support of a warrant article which the members have not even seen.
Tzambazakis said the individual seeking this legislation would draft language for the warrant article.
After Tzambazakis talked about the complications of hiring a police officer in Ware, including dealing with Civil Service regulations and having to give preference to town residents, Desmond spoke in support and introduced a motion to allow the warrant article to move forward toward the Town Meeting.
Norton objected.
“The warrant has been closed. Officially,” Norton said.
While conceding that it might be legal for the Board of Selectmen to introduce a new warrant article after going past the deadline the board set for its own articles and those from others, Norton said doing so would be going against the rules.