The Annual Town Meeting was held in the Danvers High School Auditorium on Monday May 16, 2022 at 7:30 PM.
The Town Meeting consisted of a Special Town Meeting in which 6 Articles were voted on and the Annual Town Meeting in which 40 Articles were voted on.
Drawing a lot of discussion is Article 5 under the Annual Town Meeting articles. This Article is titled: Home Rule Petition – Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical Schools District Enrollment. This article proposed placing a limit on the number of Danvers students to be enrolled at the Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical Schools District each year.
The town tabled this controversial issue on capping its enrollment at Essex Tech and shot down a proposed procedure for recalling elected town officials during Danvers’ Annual Town Meeting Monday night.
The town’s Finance Committee gathered with 128 Town Meeting members inside Danvers High School’s auditorium for a quick Special Town Meeting and Annual Town Meeting to consider 46 total proposed articles.
Town Meeting members passed an amendment to indefinitely postpone a vote on Article 5, a drafted home rule petition that would cap the number of Danvers students who attend Essex North Shore Technical & Agricultural School to 40 freshmen per year. “This amendment’s postponement will allow for the opportunity for more firm, continued and renewed work with Essex Tech’s administration, as well as potential for public workshops or other focused communications to answer questions outside of social media or less-inclusive email chains.