This article by Jim Therrien originally appeared March 5 in the Bennington Banner.

BENNINGTON — Town voters have once again rejected the idea of a mayor for Bennington.

A proposed town charter amendment that would pave the way for a future switch to a mayoral format was shot down Tuesday by 306 votes.

Town Clerk Cassandra Barbeau said there were 1,133 votes cast against the proposal, or 57.8 percent, compared to 827 in favor, or 42.2 percent.

The referendum was the fourth on the same topic to go before Bennington voters since 1998 — with each of the previous proposals going down to defeat at the polls as well.

“The mayor thing went down for the fourth time,” said Town Manager Stuart Hurd, after the results were announced Tuesday evening. “That says to me, we don’t want a mayor. But I don’t speak for the people who favor it, and I can’t predict whether it will be back sometime.”

Read full article at the Bennington Banner.

(Fair use with written permission from the New England Newspapers Inc.)