KENT — Residents who turn out for Thursday’s town meeting to discuss the idea of changing the town’s representative to the Region 1 Board of Education from an appointed to an elected position will now be voting on the proposal. First Selectman Bruce K. Adams said Monday the selectmen changed the town meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday to include wording for a vote on the issue.
Resident Edward Epstein submitted a petition with the required 50 certified signatures to Town Clerk Darlene F. Brady on Oct. 1. The Board of Selectmen discussed the issue and set the date the next day, with a plan to have just a hearing first, followed by a vote in January.
A special selectmen’s meeting was called Oct. 4 to further clarify the wording on the meeting notice.
Adams sent out a notice to the town by email Friday to alert townspeople of the town meeting and that it was being called to “discuss and vote on making the Kent representative to the Region 1 BOE an elected position.” The change to an elected position would require alteration of a town ordinance. “If the vote is affirmative, an ordinance change will be brought to the annual town meeting in January,”
The Kent Board of Education has said it opposes the change. Members stated Thursday evening that they are happy with the current setup with an appointed representative. Jonathan Moore has served as the representative for over two years. Four of the six towns in Region 1 — Canaan, Falls Village, Salisbury and Sharon — have elected representatives. Only Cornwall and Kent continue to appoint their representatives.