SOUTHWICK – A change to a bylaw is expected as a warrant at the Fall Special Town Meeting that would eliminate a postcard requirement at election time.
Currently, the town sends postcard reminders to residents at a cost of approximately $1,000 per mailing. Selectmen Chairman Russell Fox said this week that when looking to trim the town’s budget, he searched out some possible cost savings and earmarked the postcard requirement for discussion.
“We saw this as a potential savings,” he said during a meeting of the Board of Selectmen, Assistant Town Clerk Pauline Cebula, Town Moderator James Putnam and Finance Committee Vice Chairman Robert Horacek.
“We love saving money on the Finance Committee,” joked Horacek when asked if he supported removing the requirement.
Putnam said because the requirement was originally adopted by a Town Meeting vote, it needed to go before the town again for a vote to remove the requirement. The intent of the mailing was to encourage more participation in elections and town meetings. Putnam said the measure has failed to increase numbers.
“We clearly have an issue of Town Meeting attendance, and we’re not alone,” Putnam said. “It’s very frustrating.”
Putnam added that if he thought discontinuing the practice would negatively affect attendance he would not support removing the requirement.
“I think this is an experiment that has run is course,” he said. “I think technology has given us better tools.”
Fox pointed out that an electronic “Town Crier” sign proposed for placement on College Highway could serve as a reminder of upcoming voting opportunities for residents. The group also discussed using the town’s ConnectCity call system to alert residents of elections and meetings.
