County chair backs elected charter commission; ballot question would launch 18-month review

Mark Forest told Government 101 that a question will appear on the November ballot asking voters whether to create an elected charter commission to review Barnstable County government.

If voters approve, each town will have the opportunity to elect a charter commissioner; the commission would have 18 months to examine county operations, consider prior reports and produce recommendations that could be placed before voters. Forest said the move aims to provide an independent, outside review after a prior review panel failed to produce a final public report.

Forest described past tensions between the county commissioners and the assembly of delegates as one driver of the review initiative and said an elected commission with independent staff and a dedicated budget could produce a clear report for voters to consider.