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The Town Charter Committee will submit its draft charter in January for inclusion as a warrant article at the May 2026 Town Meeting, the committee’s chair, Amy Drinker, told the Select Board on Wednesday night.
The 11-member committee, appointed in April 2024 (now nine members), has spent more than a year crafting what would become Marblehead’s first town charter — a legal document that establishes the government structure and defines powers, roles and responsibilities.
“Marblehead has no charter to explain how its government works,” Drinker wrote in a Sept. 24 memo to the Select Board. “The lack of a charter makes it hard for individuals serving on town boards, committees and commissions to understand their responsibilities and roles.”
The committee completed Draft B in July, which is now undergoing review by the Collins Center for Public Management and Town Counsel Lisa Mead. All town entities mentioned in the charter have been asked to provide feedback by Oct. 6.
The draft charter maintains Marblehead’s open town meeting form of government while clarifying existing roles without changing them.
“It serves as a reference/resource tool for citizens — an owner’s manual — using clear language to explain how the town’s bylaws, regulations, special acts, and state law currently govern town functions,” according to the executive summary.
The document preserves the Select Board’s authority in its policy and operational responsibilities, including its discretion in delegating duties to the town administrator.
The committee also plans to submit a standalone recall provision as a separate warrant article that would “provide authority for the town to determine whether to enact future provisions for the recall of elected officials.”
If town meeting approves the charter in May 2026, the document faces a multi-step approval process. State Rep. Jenny Armini and State Sen. Brendan Crighton would co-sponsor legislation to adopt the charter, which would then undergo review by the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government.
“This process could take 12 to 18 months to complete,” according to the committee’s legislative process memo. After legislative approval and the governor’s signature, the charter would return to Marblehead for a townwide vote.
The committee has engaged with various town entities during the drafting process, including the Finance Committee, Harbors & Waters Board, Housing Authority, Municipal Light Board, School Committee, Water & Sewer Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.
The committee plans public outreach from February through April 2026, including public forums in collaboration with the League of Women Voters, media outreach, Council on Aging events, Rotary meetings and neighborhood group presentations.
The Select Board will hold a public hearing in January 2026 on the proposed charter before it’s finalized for town meeting consideration. The final draft must be delivered to the Select Board by Jan. 30, the closing date for warrant articles.
Committee meetings are posted on the town website and conducted in a hybrid format. Draft B is available at https://marbleheadma.gov/town-charter-committee/.
