Advertisement Framingham passes ballot measure to become city Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Saying they want more accountability in local government, Framingham voters passed a ballot measure on Tuesday that will make the town a city. The vote marks a historic turning point for the community.After months of debate, residents chose to adopt the home rule charter proposed by the Framingham Charter Commission. It is the town’s first successful attempt at charter reform in a little more than a century.The Metrowest Daily News reports unofficial numbers from town hall show 5,684 in favor of the vote, with 5,579 against.The charter establishes an 11-member city council and strong mayor to lead city government, beginning in January 2018.It also changes Framingham’s political landscape, merging the existing 18 precincts into nine larger districts, creating a nine-member school committee and abolishing Town Meeting, the Board of Selectmen and the position of town manager.Making their case to voters, city proponents argued Framingham had outgrown the Town Meeting form of government and would operate more efficiently with a strong mayor as its chief executive.John Dwyer and his wife cast ballots at the Memorial Building, with two children in tow. The 33-year-old, who relocated to Framingham from Waltham four years ago, said he supported the charter push in hopes of speeding up Framingham’s decision-making process and ensuring the South Side is better represented in local government.“Right now I think that there’s a lot of representation in the North of town, and I’m hoping that the change will bring about better representation throughout, quicker decision-making, and more people devoted solely to decision-making rather than the infrequent town meetings.”Tuesday’s vote marks the culmination of a nearly two-year effort by city proponents to change town government. The campaign was led by Framingham First, a committee of private citizens who in 2015 collected the 5,660 registered voter signatures needed to place a charter question on the ballot.Residents last year overwhelming endorsed their proposal to create a Charter Commission, passing the measure in early 2016 by a whopping 75 percent. They also elected nine commissioners out of a field of 26 candidates to embark on a study of different types of municipal government and recommend one that fits the town best.Dozens of public meetings followed, yielding a final report in January 2017 that sets the parameters under which Framingham would operate.With the charter now passed, voters will pick the community’s first mayor and other elected leaders at a Nov. 7 election.