Charlton Select Board Approves Overnight Parking Ban in 4-1 Vote

CHARLTON -- December 9, 2025, Charlton Select Board passes overnight municipal parking ban in fractious 4-1 vote. The board approved the policy at its December 9 meeting after weeks of procedural delays tied to the town's May 2025 rules of procedure, which require that a policy not be voted on the same night it is introduced and that adoption meet a supermajority threshold. Board member David Sanger cast the lone dissenting vote, arguing "there is no problem, there are no complaints, there are no data, there's no documentation" and characterizing the $20-fine ban as punitive and unsupported by police reports or insurance claims. The chair countered that the policy is proactive and said she had contacted the state Attorney General's office over potential civil and ethics concerns related to the policy's origins. The board also voted unanimously to set a January 12, 2026 special town meeting, the only item a citizen petition on firearms possession in town-administered buildings, which drew more than 200 verified signatures, and awarded the FY2026 heating oil contract to Fretinale Oil and Propane at $0.45 over the market exchange rate, beating out two competitors including last year's vendor Charlton Oil at $0.50 over market.