On September 11, the Massachusetts House and Senate passed legislation filed by Rep. Christine Barber and the Somerville delegation entitled An Act establishing a charter for the city of Somerville.

This bill was filed on behalf of the City of Somerville to replace the city’s current charter. The existing charter dates back to 1871 – the year Somerville became a city – and aside from minor changes, the last significant update was in 1899. In 2020, the Mayor and City Council established a Charter Review Committee, comprised of both residents and elected officials, to conduct a comprehensive review and propose updates to strengthen and modernize the city’s government structure. After 16 months of work – including 32 committee meetings, over 10 public events, 85 public comments, and more than 1,000 survey responses – the Committee released its recommendations in August 2022.

The proposed new charter includes improvements such as increased transparency, enhanced public participation, expanded support for the City Council, and other updates to city operations. The Act includes two ballot questions: one asking voters to adopt the new charter. The second is whether to extend the mayor’s term from two years to four years. If approved, the extended term would begin no earlier than the 2028 election. The recommendation to extend the mayoral term from 2 years to 4 was included in the Charter Review Committee’s final proposals.

The Committee believed a longer term would offer several key benefits, such as:

• More time for mayors to advance and implement their policy agendas
• Greater stability within City administration
• Increased appeal for a broader pool of candidates to consider running for mayor

These reforms will deliver on key priorities for Somerville and were developed by a process that prioritized community voices. The legislation is now on the Governor’s desk, awaiting signature, and will appear on the November ballot, where voters will decide on two measures: the adoption of the new charter and the extension of the mayoral term.

— Office of Representative Christine Barber