By Carol Britton Meyer

An expected joint meeting between the Hull Municipal Light Board and the select board with both boards’ attorneys present on July 23 has been postponed.

Instead, the agenda for that evening will include an update to the select board by Town Counsel Brian Winner about the status of Article 37 – a citizens’ petition filed by light board member Jake Vaillancourt that was approved, 116-83, at the recent town meeting – and in particular, applicable municipal law, and to address board members’ questions, Town Manager Jennifer Constable told The Hull Times in response to an email inquiry. The meeting agenda indicates that this item is for “board discussion only.”

The Results of Article 37 at the 2025 annual town meeting.

Article 37 restructures light department governance by removing the town manager from the dual role as light plant manager.

Constable also told the Times on Monday that the joint meeting was rescheduled because Attorney Nick Scobbo, counsel for the light plant, wanted to meet with the light board prior to a joint meeting and that she expects a joint meeting to occur in the upcoming weeks.

During the July 17 light board meeting, part of the discussion centered around Article 37.

In a 3-2 vote that night, the board adopted Article 37 as its official policy position in support of urging the select board to file a home-rule petition with the state Legislature for governance change.

Chair Thomas Burns, Vaillancourt, and Daniel Ciccariello voted in favor of the motion, while board members Stephanie Landry and Patrick Cannon were opposed, citing process and other concerns.

This relates to Town Manager/Light Plant Manager Constable’s statement at the previous light board meeting that the article is “not actionable … because town meeting can’t direct the select board” to take that action. The wording of the article did not include provisions about filing the required special legislation to make the management change, she said.

In 1993, town meeting approved changing the governance of the light plant to the current structure, with the town manager also serving as light plant manager.

That structure change happened by special legislation supported by the select board, with town meeting authorizing the board to initiate it. However, Article 37 proponents say the select board could move forward with the town meeting vote as an indication of voters’ intention.

At the July 17 meeting, Constable reiterated that if the light board wishes to pursue any significant governance change, such an action would require select board and town meeting approval and legislative action.

Constable also told the board that if it wishes to pursue such a change, members should:

• Identify and define the operational changes and fiscal costs associated with the governance change;

• Define the pros, cons, and rationale for the sought governance change;

• Conduct community/ratepayer outreach to assess if the majority of the 6,200 ratepayers support the change in governance and to give them an opportunity to have a voice in the matter;

• Discuss with the select board once this information and/or assessment has been conducted.

“This information would provide the light board with the information and insights needed to make an informed decision and request to the select board,” Constable told The Hull Times in the follow-up email.

During the public comment period at the end of the recent light board meeting, a resident raised concerns about inadequate public notice for the Article 37 discussion and vote.

However, Burns noted that the agenda included disclaimer language permitting unanticipated topics.

The disclaimer at the end of the agenda stated: “The listings of items are those reasonably anticipated by the chair, which may be discussed. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be discussed to the extent permitted by law.” There was also an agenda item for “old business” that included a discussion of whether to rent generators again and related survey results.

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