Town elections will take place on Monday, May 8. This year there will be eight positions to be filled. Residents who are interested in running for one of them have two ways to get on the ballot and two ways to be elected. The easiest way for a candidate to get on the ballot is to have someone nominate them at the Citizens’ Caucus on March 8 at 7pm at the Annex. For each open position, the registered voters at the Caucus will vote on which nominee(s) will be on the ballot. Two names for each position can be added to the ballot during the Caucus. If you choose not to go that route or miss the March 8 deadline, you can also be placed on the ballot by getting nomination papers from the Town Clerk on or after 2/21/23 and collecting twenty valid signatures from voters registered in Town. Nomination papers must be returned to the Town Clerk by 5 pm on 3/20/23.

The positions that are up for election this year are Board of Assessors (one three-year term, incumbent is Helen Townsend, and one two-year term, incumbent is Laurie Kraemer), Light Commissioner (one three-year term, incumbent is Rick Rys), Moderator (one one-year term, incumbent is Harry Pape), Planning Board (two three-year terms, incumbents are John Mirick and Ian Catlow), Selectboard (one three-year term, incumbent is Richard Bisk), and Trustee of the Trust Funds (one three-year seat, incumbent is Kevin Heman).

The Board of Assessors comprises Administrative Assistant Terri Longtine, and three elected members with staggered three-year terms. We no longer have a Principal Assessor employed by the Town but instead use an outside firm. The Board meets approximately once per month and votes on real estate and motor vehicle abatements and exemptions. The Board also works in conjunction with the outside firm to finalize assessments in all four classes as well as submit the Tax Rate Recapitulation sheet annually to the Department of Revenue.?The tax rate, set by the Assessors, funds the budget approved by voters at Town Meeting to provide for services, such as schools, roads, fire, law enforcements etc. A yearly stipend of $500 per person is provided. The candidate must be willing to pass required training course 101 within two years. Familiarity with Mass General laws in regard to assessing, the real estate market and general construction are desired.  

The Board of Light Commissioners comprises three elected members with staggered three-year terms. The role of the Board is to make policy and rate decisions. They set the direction for the Manager of the Light Department.?The Light Board approves the budget for the year and sets the electric rates.? The Manager’s job is then to bill according to those rates and manage the budget.? The Board’s job is to provide direction but not be involved in the day-to-day operation of the plant (per?MGL ch 164).? A light plant functions more like a corporation than a town department.? The Manager is more like a CEO and the Board’s job is that of a Board of Directors.? Princeton’s Light Board generally meets once a month in an open meeting.? In that meeting they review the budget to date and any issues the Board members or manager would like to discuss that involve the direction of the department.? Most customer issues are handled at the Manager’s level but occasionally a customer requests to speak to the Board regarding their specific issue.? This would usually involve a question regarding policy. The Board Chairman prepares the meeting agendas with inputs from the other two Board members.? The Manager generally meets with the Chairman a couple times a month to review items that may need to go before the whole Board. Ideally, candidates would have a business background but really all it takes is a willingness to learn.

The Moderator, serving a one-year term, presides over Town Meeting and is responsible for its conduct consistent with Town By-laws and Massachusetts General Laws and parliamentary procedures as defined in?Town Meeting Time: A Handbook of Parliamentary Law?published by the Massachusetts Moderators Association. Massachusetts General Laws grant the Moderator broad authority to accept parliamentary motions, regulate debate and rule speakers in or out of order. A primary role of the Moderator is to ensure that motions (or amendments to motions) remain within the scope of the article published in the Warrant.

The Planning Board has five members, elected to staggered three-year terms, and two alternate members appointed by the Selectboard for one-year terms.? The Planning Board meets bi-weekly to review subdivision plans, site plans, and applications for special permits, and to discuss planning issues.? The Planning Board is responsible for the Town’s master plan, and for proposing revisions to the Town’s Zoning By-Laws to implement the Master Plan, or to clarify or change provisions of the Zoning By-Laws.? The Selectboard and other boards and committees in the Town may refer issues to the Planning Board for review, such as was done for the potential impact on the Town from the legalization of marijuana. It is helpful, but not required, for members of the Planning Board to have had some land use, construction, engineering, or legal experience.? A Town resident who is interesting in participating but is uncertain about committing to a three-year term can ask to be appointed as an alternate member for a year.??

The Selectboard serves as the Town's chief executive body and works primarily through the Town Administrator. It has overall responsibility for the general operations of town government and is the primary non-school appointing authority for the Town. The Board is authorized to enter into contracts on behalf of the Town. While most other town boards and offices serve a particular function (e.g., assessors, advisory committee, school, health), the Selectboard's responsibilities are much broader. Its job is often one of sorting out the various positions of different departments and boards to determine the best overall course of action for the town. Board members play an active and strong role in the financial management of the town. Selectboard members should participate in the budget process, directly reviewing budget requests and having input at all levels of the process. They should provide leadership in the development of a capital improvement program. Throughout the fiscal year, the Selectboard, in conjunction with the Advisory Committee and Town Administrator, monitors the financial performance of the town. The Board assumes an active role in any issue or policy that has broad implications for the financial condition of the town, including such issues as tax classification, free cash policy, and use of stabilization funds. Selectboard members each receive a yearly $1200 stipend.

The Trustees of Trust Funds are elected officials charged with the responsibility of overseeing all Trusts held by the Town. Once a Trust has been established, it is administered by the Trustees in accordance with the terms of the Trust and by a comprehensive set of state laws. Currently, the Trustees are responsible for about thirty trusts, having a total value of approximately $100,000. Most of the Trusts only allow interest earned on the principal to be spent. Organizations may request assistance from one of the Trusts and the Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the necessary funds are available, and the terms of the Trust are met. The Trustees meet approximately once a month.