Editorial September 16, 2003
	Not only did the Town Council take the unusual step of refusing to receive the Island Watchdog Petition but it is bordering on doing so illegally as well. The Council is attempting to stretch out the process so as to put the initiative petition on the November 2004 General Election ballot rather than having a special election for the initiative petition. The Council's motives are clear: it wishes to have the petition voted upon during a general election to maximize the number of voters to defeat the petition. So the Council refused to receive the petition in its September 15th meeting and plans to receive it at the October 6th meeting. The Council obviously then plans to wait the maximum 30 days to reject the petition and then wait the maximum one year before holding an election thereby having the issue on the November 2004 ballot. Although this might be good political strategy, it is a violation of the Town Charter and the Council is therefore acting illegally. The Council is required by charter to act within 30-days of the verification by the Town Clerk of the proper number of signatures. The verification of proper signatures occurred on September 10 and therefore the Council must ACT by October 10th. Said action is not simply to receive the petition and then wait 30 days. The Council must ACT by October 10th and after rejecting the petition (everybody assumes the Council will do that) the Council then must have an election with one year. It is therefore not legally possible to put this item on the November 2004 ballot! The Council was silly to refuse to receive the petition on September 15 but so far the Council has only been acting silly - it has not yet acted illegally. The Council can receive the petition at the next meeting and can legally act upon it within the required 30-days. However, if the Council chooses to play further games and attempts to delay its action beyond October 10, it will be doing so illegally!