The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

——————————————

DEVAL L. PATRICK GOVERNOR TIMOTHY P. MURRAY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Executive Department State House  ·  Boston 02133 (617) 725-4000

April 10, 2008.

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives:

Pursuant to the provisions of Article II, Section 8, Paragraph 1, Clause (2) of the Amendments to the Constitution, as amended by Article LXXXIX, I am filing for your consideration the attached legislation entitled, “An Act Validating The Actions Taken At A Certain Election Held In The Town Of Great Barrington.” 

   Senator Downing, Representative Pignatelli and the Great Barrington Board of Selectmen request that I file this special legislation on behalf of the town of Great Barrington to authorize the town to place a one-year vacancy in the office of Selectmen on the ballot at the May 19, 2008, annual town meeting.  Absent this legislation, the town would have to hold a special election, a costly alternative that the town can not afford.  Moreover, without this bill the town would not be governed by a full Board of Selectmen until after the special election is held, undermining the Board’s ability to conduct business and govern.

To save the town of Great Barrington from the expense of conducting another election and to ensure the town is governed by a full Board quickly, I urge your early and favorable consideration of this bill.

Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                       DEVAL L. PATRICK,

                                                                                       Governor.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

——————————————

In the Year Two Thousand and Eight.

——————————————

An Act validating the actions taken at a certain election held in the town of great barrington.

        Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1.  The actions of the town of Great Barrington with regard to the placement of the office of selectman on the ballot to fill a vacancy at the May 9, 2008, annual town election, and those actions taken by the town in reliance thereon, including the issuance to registered voters of nomination papers for the office, the board of registrars’ receipt of such nomination papers for filing, the certification by the board of registrars of signatures of registered voters affixed to such inclusion on the ballot of the names of candidates for the office whose nomination papers contained the requisite number of signatures are hereby ratified, validated and confirmed, notwithstanding the failure to notify the town clerk in accordance with section 10 of chapter 41 of the General Laws.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.