Kennebunk voters rejected a town charter revision on Tuesday. The vote was 5,078 against, or 65%, and 2,740 in favor (35%).

The charter revision would have changed the town’s form of government from select board to town council.

Kennebunk voters rejected a town charter revision on Tuesday. Dan King / Post

The Kennebunk Charter Commission presented its final report to the select board on Aug. 6, recommending a town council form of government instead of the current select board, in which voters approve budget, borrowing and land-use measures.

The process to draft the proposed revised charter began in early 2023. Over the course of 18 months, the commission researched other towns, provided opportunities for public input, and put out a poll that was instrumental in deciding which form of government to proceed with.

Under a town council government, the council would have the authority to approve or reject land-use proposals and would be given limited power to draw from the town’s undesignated fund balance during emergencies, including storms.

In the event that the council would need to use funds during an emergency, it would also need a plan to replenish the funds.

The voting process would remain virtually unchanged under a town council government, and the duties and responsibilities of the town manager would also stay the same.

The new charter recommendation also touches heavily on forfeiture of office and the process for recalling officials.

In order to ensure all recalls are justified and fair, as well as to give the public the opportunity to be informed of the recall, the commission created a four-step plan.

First, the person seeking a recall – the “agent,” according to the report – would need to file a notice of intention with the town clerk, including 500 signatures from voters and an explanation of why the elected official should be removed from office.

Next, a public hearing would need to be held so that residents and the town council can hear and discuss the reasons for filing the recall notice. If the agent decides to proceed after this meeting, the town clerk would issue petition forms.

The agent would then need to collect 1,000 signatures by the deadline to be validated and certified by the town clerk.

Finally, if the signatures are validated, the recall would be sent to an official vote, in which a minimum turnout of 3,000 voters is required.

With the rejection of the charter revision, all current select board proceedings, including recall processes, remain the same.