Saturday, May 1, 2021, 1:00pm
Pingree Park, 211 Main Street
Warrant Hearing for the Annual Town Meeting
Monday, April 26, 2021, 7:00pm
Via Zoom
Visit the FY 2022 Budget Process page
Warrant available online by mid April and delivered to households by April 24
Annual Town Election
Thursday, May 6, 2021, 7:00am - 8:00pm
Wenham Town Hall, 138 Main Street
Visit the Town Clerk's Elections page for information on mail in and absentee voting
Special Town Meeting
Saturday, October 17, 2020, 10:00am
Pingree Park, 211 Main Street
Warrant Article Votes
- Use of Free Cash to Fund FY 2021 Capital Improvement Program - Passed
- Transfer from Water Surplus and Water-related Supervisory Control and Data Aquisition (SCADA) hardware and software - Passed
- Bylaw Amendement: Recodify General Bylaws (click for draft version) - Passed
- Zoning Bylaw Amendement: Recodify Zoning Bylaws (click for draft version) Planning Board Recommendations - Passed
- Local Adoption: Meals Excise Tax - Passed
- Local Adoption: Room Occupancy - Passed
- Easement for National Grid on Town of Wenham property - Passed
- Citizens' Petition - Straw Poll Passed
- Citizens' Petition - Straw Poll Passed
Via Zoom, Tuesday, October 13, 2020, 7:00pm
Available on HWCAM's YouTube page
Board of Selectmen's Notice of Intent to Consider Quorum Reduction for October 17 Special Town Meeting on September 29, 2020
Annual Town Meeting
Saturday, July 11, 2020, 9:00am
Pingree Park, 211 Main Street
Warrant Article Votes
A - D. Consent Agenda – Passed
Cemetery- trust fund acceptance
Cemetery- maintenance transfer
Water reserve transfer ($35k)
Chapter 90 acceptance
1. Levy limit budget – Passed
2. Free cash to balance the budget – Passed
3. Town Override – Passed
4. Override (loose leaf pick up) contingent on 3 – Lost/Failed at Ballot
5. Town debt authorization – fire truck – Passed
6. School override – Passed
7. School debt exclusion – FY 21 capital – Passed
8. CPA Appropriations – Passed
Photos from the Annual Town Meeting
Hearing on the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting
Held Monday, July 6, 2020
Available on HWCAM's YouTube page
Annual Town Election - Official Results
Thursday, June 25, 2020, 11:00am - 7:00pm
Bessie Buker Elementary School, 1 School Street
Town Meeting is both an event and an entity. As an event, it is a gathering of all registered voters in Town. As an entity it is the legislative body of the Town of Wenham.
Open Town Meeting is the oldest form of government dating back to the mid 1600’s. It is a gathering of all registered voters with the purpose of giving every registered voter a voice in all matters concerning the governing of our town. It is the most direct form of government that can be found. Every vote matters and counts. However, attendance is required to have this voice.
Every town in the Commonwealth must have at least one meeting, called the Annual Town Meeting; our by-law requires we hold ours on the first Saturday in April.
Nowadays, with our “uber” busy lives, making time to attend these open town meetings is difficult, but the importance has not wavered. The ability to raise a concern, vote on a new bylaw or even repeal one is a huge benefit to living in a small town such as Wenham. This “ability to have a say in your town’s policies” should be treasured and not wasted.
State law requires a Town Moderator to “preside and regulate the proceedings, decide all questions of order, and make public declarations of all votes” in an open town meeting.
Anthony M. Feeheery
Interim Town Moderator
