Bethel Charter Revisions: Voters Choice or All-Or-None?

Will debated items be put to a vote, or will Bethel have to swallow the whole pill?

Following last nights Charter Revision Town Meeting, one thing remains clear. A lot of Bethel residents do not like some of the proposed revisions. So now the question becomes: 

1. Will the Board of Selectman place the entire Charter Revision on the ballot as a yes or no vote or

Pros: 

• Will give the Board of Selectman an opportunity to implement all of the proposed revisions.
• Will reduce the number of questions on the charter revision ballot.

Cons: 

• Could result in all of the proposed revisions being voted down over a few debated items. 
• If the revisions are voted down, it will have been a waste of months of meetings and hours of time.
• May create an environment of increased political distrust due to residents frustrations over specific items which could otherwise be voted on in separate ballot questions.

2. Will The Board of Selectman let the residents vote on what changes to make and which ones to discard. 

Pros: 

• A line item type ballot wil give all Bethel residents a chance to weigh in on each of the items and choose to accept or decline the proposed revisions as a town.
• Allowing the residents to choose will deflate concerns that many of the changes are politically motivated by prior Board of Finance and Board of Selectman disagreements over proper town funding checks and balances. 
• Will establish a mandate over the direction Bethel residents want to see their town managed.

Cons:

• May result in several proposed Charter Revisions being voted down.

My Opinion: 
Given the amount of debate on revision topics specific to Board of Finance authority, checks and balances, going to a four year term with no recall provision, and increasing the BOS to 5 members, it seems both fair and civil that the Board of Selectman present a ballot to the voters that lets the People decide the direction of Bethel, one item at a a time. 

Placing all the proposed revisions on a single question, yes or no vote, would be a smack in the face to the ideals and fundamentals of our American democracy and would mirror the type of leadership that has embroiled both Washington and Hartford in legislative gridlock and leadership dysfunction. 

I remain both optimistic and hopeful that the leadership of our elected Board of Selectman will allow the People of Bethel to vote on each of the proposed revisions. 

Background
This article is a follow up to this one below which includes the items being debated and all documentation leading up to now. 

http://bethel.patch.com/groups/daniel-r-gaitas-blog/p/bethel-charter--may-have-promising-revisions