Chris Peloquin decided not to run for reelection to the Selectboard. Remembering that the other board members tried to force him to resign, he decided not to continue the agony.

However, he left his parting shot across the bow by delivering a petition demanding a special election to have the voters decided whether the town manager form of government should be ab olished.

Town Clerk, Debbie Palmer reorted that Mr. Peloquin dropped off copies of his petition last Wednesday morning.

The Petition contained 105 signatures of which 100 were valid according to the clerk.

Ninety Nine valid signatures were required in order for force an election.

The selectboard must now set a date for the special election.

The election must be held according to law no less than 30 days nor more than 40 days after the day the clerk received the petition which was on February 24.

Mr. Peloquin first started circulating his petition last September at the Behind The Scene cafe and with a handful of friends who were willing to circulate it.

Last October, Mr. Peloquin told the News that he favors a special election to remove the town manager form of government. He said that he was dissatisfied with how the town has been run over the last 12 to 15 years under the present system.

He said particularly that he has nothing against the present town manager, Garrett Earls, saying that there have been problems over the years before Mr. Earls was named to the job.

Mr. Peloquin feels that the town manager system gives too much power to the manager and not enough to the selectboard.

According to state statute, when a town has elected to have the town manager system of government, the law sets forth specifically the powers of the manager and the selectboard has no power to diminish those powers according to legal counsel familiar with the law.

However, if the town were run by a town administrator, then the selectboard could designate the administrator’s duties and the town would not be bound by the statute governing the town manager form of government.

In 2004, the same question was put before the voters to do away with the town manager system but they turned it down.

We reported last October that Mr. Peloquin’s move to circulate a petition apparently came about after it was revealed by Bob Cleaves, the town treasurer, that following a September 15 breach of security, he felt that there was an aura of distrust in the municipal offices and that he intended to resign his computer technology support work for the town effective in November.

Freda Hollyer, one of the two candidates for Mr. Peloquin’s seat also supports the petition. She told the Times Argus last week that “though Williamstown most likely needs a full time administrator, the town manager’s title and the statutory powers that go with it have historically created problems.”