Charter Review Committee - 10/15/2026

The Town of Bridgewater Charter Review Committee met on October 15, 2026, and unanimously approved the September 30 minutes. The committee reviewed final results from a resident survey, community forums, letters, and stakeholder interviews. Survey respondents commonly reported concerns about town communication, opportunities for public input, responsiveness, and council oversight; 81% supported adding a no-confidence or recall provision for elected officials, while 64% said residents lacked sufficient opportunity to weigh in before decisions. The committee also discussed budget-review timing, council representation and size, and possible charter changes. Members noted that some concerns may relate to implementation or the administrative code rather than the charter itself. No contracts, purchases, bids, or procurement-related budget allocations were discussed.

The committee agreed to prepare the survey findings for presentation to the Town Council, with a proposed presentation date of November 10, and to post the material on the town’s Charter Review webpage, aiming for publication by the next committee meeting. Members also planned to circulate summaries and update the committee’s detailed work plan, including consideration of draft sections on communication and charter compliance. These were planning and follow-up actions; no procurement action or spending vote was identified.