Voters, beware of  Ballot questions 7 and 8  which amend the Tiverton Town Charter so that Tiverton citizens would no longer have the power to elect the Tiverton Town Treasurer and Tiverton Town Clerk. Instead the Tiverton Town Administrator, who is appointed by the Tiverton Town Council, would in turn appoint the treasurer and clerk.

The reason for change is given as: 

Ensuring that the person has necessary skills and experience ... and anyone who is at least 18 years of age and a resident of the town for at least 30 days is now eligible to seek the office.

Let's get real, 18-year-olds will not be applying for the positions of town treasurer and town clerk, whose duties and responsibilities are clearly defined in the town charter.

These critically important town positions are currently held by very dedicated and extremely competent people who were elected. 

This is a specious reason for Tiverton voters to lose their right to elect the treasurer and clerk, handing it over instead to the town administrator to appoint those positions.  Since the town administrator is appointed, Tiverton voters will have lost the possibility of voting out a treasurer or clerk if they don't perform well. 

I don't want to forfeit my right to vote, do you?  Vote no on ballot questions 7 & 8!

Barbara Martin

Tiverton