Barbecue Talk: A Rush to Change the Greenwich Town Charter
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Last Thursday, February 12, 2026, Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Moderator Alexis Voulgaris appeared before the Board of Selectmen (BOS) to initiate a historic change to the Greenwich Town Charter. Her request: increase the number of signatures required for a citizen petition to reach the 230-member RTM from the current 20 to 350. This 20-signature threshold has been the standard for Greenwich direct democracy since 1933.
On the Fast Track. The proposal was listed on the BOS agenda as a "First Read" and was taken up at the end of the meeting. However, the BOS unanimously approved the request and waived the traditional "Second Read," essentially moving the item from "idea" to "official process" without the standard window for public discourse.
The Financial Cost: Camillo pointed to the Arch and Grigg Street intersection project where 20 people can undo 365 days of work. Despite a year of vetting and approvals, a petition of just over 20 people halted the project, forcing the town to return $2.7 million in state grant money.
The Time Cost: Voulgaris noted an uptick in non-binding "statement" petitions. In 2025 alone, several were withdrawn or postponed after hours of debate, leading to her comment that some petitions are merely the "byproduct of 20 people sitting around a barbecue saying, ‘That would be a really great idea.' "
Shot Down Before: While the "barbecue" analogy identifies the informal nature of some petitions, critics argue that the solution shouldn't be to shut the door on the neighborhood.
This exact 350-signature proposal was resoundingly defeated in 2019. Even a compromise of 100 signatures failed in a narrow 71-75 vote. Returning to the 350-signature threshold—roughly 1% of the voting population—strikes many as a disregard for that recent decision. It effectively ensures that only well-organized special interests, not regular neighbors, can ever clear the bar.
A Balance: The Moderator’s concern is valid from a management perspective; it is difficult to run a town when a backyard conversation can derail a multi-million dollar grant. However, the "barbecue" is also where the most authentic Greenwich politics happens. It’s where neighbors first voice the concerns that eventually become town policy.
Between the Lines: Let's slow down and give this Town Charter change the due process it deserves. Meanwhile, start up the barbie while the proposal heads to the RTM in March for its first official read.