Andover Town Meeting Will Consider Renaming Board Of Selectmen

ANDOVER, MA -- Town Meeting will consider a warrant article that would change the name of the town's top governing body to the Andover Select Board from the Andover Board of Selectmen. The move follows similar moves in Massachusetts towns, where the antiquated term of "Selectman" has been updated to the gender neutral select person.

Selectwoman Annie Gilbert the town has mostly been using the more up-to-date terms in recent years. But the town meeting article would formally change the terminology wherever it appears in the town's charter. "It is appropriate to have the name of the board be reflective of the membership, and Board of Selectmen is no longer reflective of that reality," she said.

The select board unanimously approved inclusion of the article on the town meeting warrant last week.

Select boards are unique to local government in New England, where town meetings have prevailed. While town meeting makes the big picture decisions, select boards -- like a mayor in a city -- handle the day-to-day functions of local government administration. Georgetown, CO is the only town outside of New England that uses the term selectmen (or select board).

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Photo by Town of Andover.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).