In one of the few defeats for town leadership, Article 16 was voted down after residents argued for the necessity of citizen oversight. The article proposed the dissolution of the advisory Beach Committee, which Town Manager René Read characterized as a vestige of a time past now that beach operations have been professionalized.

However, residents Alicia Babcock and Stan Wheatley led the opposition. Babcock argued that the committee provides a vital platform for robust public input, saying, let's breathe some new life into it rather than disbanding it. Wheatley warned of agency capture, where town employees might lack sufficient oversight from the public. The motion to dissolve the committee failed, with 95 voters opposed and only 83 in favor.

Motion: To dissolve the Beach Committee.

Vote: Failed 83 Yes - 95 No