Town Meeting will be asked to decide on three government-related requests made by the Select Board and Town Administrator with intentions of increasing procedure efficiency. 

The meeting will take place Monday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Wareham Elementary School.

Town Administrator Derek Sullivan submitted a request to abandon the Town Meeting’s lottery process, in which articles are drawn at random.

Sullivan said this procedure was introduced when Town Meeting required a 150-person quorum for agenda items that cost $5,000 or more and a 100-person quorum for agenda items with no financial component.

He added during that time, meeting proceedings would be delayed as voters called friends, family and neighbors to join the meeting in order to reach the quorum. 

He said oftentimes, people would only show up for specific agenda items. The lottery intended to combat this habit and assist in reaching the meeting’s quorum rules. 

However, in 2017, Town Meeting eliminated the quorum requirements, so now the lottery serves as more of a nuisance with voters flipping back and forth through the warrant article handout — causing confusion and disorganization, according to Sullivam.

The Select Board is requesting to decrease the number of elected constables from one to none.

Select Board Chair Judith Whiteside explained appointed constables — which the town currently has nine of — have to follow certain rules and regulations, including knowing open meeting law and completing an ethics course.

Elected constables do not have to follow these same procedures, Whiteside said.

She added if the request is approved, the elected constable would finish out the rest of her term and can apply to be an appointed constable.

The Select Board is also requesting to dissolve the Road Commission with its duties handed over to the Board.

Select Board member Alan Slavin said the idea was proposed after members of the Commission shared how difficult it is to dedicate time to the role in addition to the regular position they already have in town. 

Slavin said, “It probably would be easier for the Selectmen to take it back and have instant access to town council. When questions come up legally, answers could be done in a day or so instead of weeks.”