Bill > S2397

This bill, concerning the leadership and governance of the Town of Agawam, proposes changes to how vacancies on the school committee are filled. Specifically, if a vacancy occurs within the first 18 months of a school committeeperson's term, no special election will be held; instead, the school committee will choose a replacement from the defeated candidates of the last regular municipal election, prioritizing those who received the most votes and are willing and eligible to serve, with a minimum vote threshold of 30% of the top vote-getter's total. If no defeated candidate meets these criteria, the school committee will select a registered voter from Agawam by majority vote. Vacancies occurring after 18 months will be filled by the winner of the next regular town election for school committeeperson, who will serve out the remainder of the unexpired term in addition to their elected term. The bill also outlines the process for submitting these proposed changes to the voters of Agawam for acceptance.