Walkersville adopts charter changes after debate over referendum thresholds

The Burgess and Commissioners adopted Resolution 2026-05 to make a series of charter updates, following a public hearing that included one emailed comment from a resident. The letter from Gary Baker proposed an addition to a forfeiture-of-office clause to bar an official who forfeits office from seeking reappointment or election until their original term would have ended; the clerk read Baker's suggestion into the record.

"He'd like to propose in addition to the c62 forfeiture of office, that if somebody forfeited their office ... that person would forfeit the right to seek election or reelection ... until the term in which they were elected or appointed expired," the clerk read. Commissioners focused much of their discussion on petition thresholds: several said the 20% signature requirement and a 20-day filing window could make a referendum difficult; others said 20% is an appropriately high threshold to prevent frivolous challenges.

After discussion about historical attempts at referenda and concerns that social media makes petition drives more feasible today, Commissioner Winch moved to adopt the charter updates and Commissioner Reagan seconded. The resolution passed by voice vote, recorded as 4–1.

Commissioners asked staff to confirm that the charter's general-power provisions retained specific authorities such as establishing a town band and setting curfews if desired. The board also discussed a former commissioner removal case and whether additional restrictions were legally viable.