An Act relative to the select board of the town of Berlin

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Robyn Kennedy and 1 co-sponsor

Berlin adopts a five-member, at-large Select Board with initial 3-, 2-, and 1-year terms (by vote totals); thereafter, all three-year terms. Takes effect on passage.

Overview

This bill proposes to change Berlin’s town select board to a five-member body, all elected at large by the town’s voters. It sets initial staggered terms for the first election following the act’s effective date and then establishes three-year terms for future elections. The measure is a local-module bill (local approval received) filed by Rep. Meghan K. Kilcoyne and Sen. Robyn Kennedy, with the subject “relative to the membership of the select board of the town of Berlin.” The act would take effect upon passage.

What the bill would do

Create a five-member Berlin Select Board elected at large.

At the first annual town election after the act becomes effective, elect three members.

The candidate with the most votes serves a 3-year term.
The candidate with the second-most votes serves a 2-year term.
The candidate with the third-most votes serves a 1-year term.

After the initial terms, future terms are three years each.

The provision applies notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary (local authorization supersedes existing statutory constraints for Berlin).

Key provisions

Governing body: Berlin’s Select Board to consist of five members elected at large.

Election timing and terms: Initial staggered terms (3, 2, and 1 year) chosen by vote totals at the first election after enactment; thereafter, three-year terms for all members.

Effective date: Takes effect upon passage of the act.

Legal authority: State law provision interrupted to the extent necessary to implement Berlin’s local governance structure.

Who/what is affected

Town of Berlin residents: Eligible voters who would elect five at-large select board members.

Berlin’s municipal governance: The composition and term structure of the Select Board, potentially influencing town oversight, budgeting, and policy direction.

Town election officials and procedures: Transition to an at-large five-member board with staggered terms beginning at the first post-enactment election.

Procedural and timeline notes

Status: Introduced and filed (October 1, 2025) as House Docket No. 5207; petition indicates local approval received.

Implementation: The act would take effect immediately upon passage and would require Berlin to conduct the first at-large, five-seat election following enactment.

Transition: The bill does not specify interim transition steps beyond the initial three-, two-, and one-year terms in the first election.

Potential implications

Representation: An at-large five-member board may affect geographic district representation and governance dynamics.

Continuity: The initial staggered terms create a built-in cycle of elections, ensuring turnover and continuity over time.

Local control: The bill reflects a local-approval pathway to modify Berlin’s select board structure, independent of broader state-wide changes.

If you’d like, I can add a comparison to Berlin’s current select board structure or outline potential fiscal and administrative considerations associated with this change.

Bill