General Discussion

Chan790

(20,176 posts)

5. Most small New England villages don't have mayors.

Sun Dec 16, 2012, 09:51 PM

Dec 2012

The town charters of a lot of these towns pre-date the US Revolutionary War...the selectmen model grew out of the church-leadership as town-leadership model that we inherited in that part of the country from the Puritans and off-shoots. Church was the center of daily life and the community meeting-space. It used to be that the men elected a church board and the church board selected a minister from among them who was also the administrative head of the village. Hence, select man.

Now we just have town elections but the selectman as administrative head of the town remains...it's been divorced from the churches for about 300 years.

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Is a First Selectman like a mayor? [View all] proud2BlibKansan Dec 2012 OP

Yes, and yes. TheCowsCameHome Dec 2012 #1

Not entirely Bad Thoughts Dec 2012 #2

Does Newtown not have a mayor? proud2BlibKansan Dec 2012 #3

No mayor. She is the leader of Newtown - First Selectman. TheCowsCameHome Dec 2012 #4

Most small New England villages don't have mayors. Chan790 Dec 2012 #5

Correct. My late grandfather was First Selectman of a small town in Massachusetts... MANative Dec 2012 #9

Think of it as ministerial government Bad Thoughts Dec 2012 #7

Most of the towns I know in CT NewJeffCT Dec 2012 #8

In many New England towns, senior Select people act as Mayor. nt bluestate10 Dec 2012 #6

think of it like a prime minister rather than a president (at the local level, of course). unblock Dec 2012 #10

The board of selectmen makes decisions as a voting group Chemisse Dec 2012 #11