Charter revision questions busted

WINSTED — Five separate questions proposing charter revisions to Winsted voters Tuesday were soundly rejected at the polls, with residents voting as much as 4 to 1 against measures promoted by Republican members of the Winchester Board of Selectmen.

On the first question, asking whether the town charter should be amended to replace the town manager with a mayoral form of government, voters said "no" by a vote of 2,741 to 1,827.

Second, voters rejected a measure which would have produced an automatic annual budget increase of 3 percent if a budget is not adopted after three referendums. That measure failed, 3,246 to 1,260.

Question three asked voters if the Board of Selectmen should have the power to investigate officers and agencies of the town, and presented a new section detailing the rules for appointing and removing town board members. The measure was rejected, 2,589 to 1,885.

The most resounding defeat came for question four, which would have excluded nonresident property owners from town votes. That measure failed 3,478 to 837.

Finally, voters rejected the adoption of all other recommendations filed by the town’s most recent Charter Revision Commission. The fifth question failed by a vote of 3,044 to 1,185.