Joint Boards of Selectmen (JBOS) members, understandably frustrated that their efforts at getting “super town meeting” agreement on the proposed rezoning of Vicksburg Square failed, have raised the idea of trying to change Chapter 498, such that changes related to governance or zoning at Devens could be effected by a majority vote among voters in Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley, rather than by the current one-town-one-vote model represented by the so-called “super town meeting.”

One JBOS member has proposed that the change process start with a letter of intent from the JBOS, and although there was no agreement reached about this, members were charged with coming to the next meetings with ideas, which suggests that a process has been put in motion.

We think that a decision to move forward on a proposed change should not be left to only the selectmen in Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley; voters should have a chance to weigh in on this important issue by way of a ballot question.

All should consider carefully what Harvard might be giving up if one-town-one-vote is replaced by a majority vote among all three towns.