▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁completely ▁re vised ▁the ▁Town ▁form ▁of ▁government ▁and ▁applied ▁to ▁all ▁towns ▁incorpor ated ▁under ▁the ▁Town ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁and ▁to ▁those ▁incorpor ated ▁by ▁a ▁special ▁char ter ▁granted ▁by ▁the ▁Legisl ature ▁prior ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 5 . ▁Under ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁Act , ▁the ▁mayor ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁council man ▁at ▁large , ▁serving ▁a ▁term ▁of ▁two ▁years , ▁unless ▁increased ▁to ▁three ▁years ▁by ▁a ▁pet ition ▁and ▁refer endum ▁process . ▁The ▁Council ▁under ▁the ▁Town ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁consists ▁of ▁eight ▁members ▁serving ▁st agger ed ▁two - year ▁terms ▁with ▁two ▁elected ▁from ▁each ▁of ▁four ▁w ards . ▁One ▁council man ▁from ▁each ▁w ard ▁is ▁up ▁for ▁election ▁each ▁year . ▁Town s ▁with ▁different ▁structures ▁pred ating ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁Act ▁may ▁retain ▁those ▁features ▁unless ▁changed ▁by ▁a ▁pet ition ▁and ▁refer endum ▁process . ▁ ▁Two ▁new ▁prov isions ▁were ▁added ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁to ▁the ▁stat utes ▁gover ning ▁towns , ▁First , ▁a ▁pet ition ▁and ▁refer endum ▁process ▁was ▁created ▁where by ▁the ▁vot ers ▁can ▁require ▁that ▁the ▁mayor ▁and ▁town ▁council ▁be ▁elected ▁to ▁four - year ▁terms ▁of ▁office . ▁The ▁second ▁new ▁provision ▁defines ▁the ▁election ▁procedure ▁in ▁towns ▁with ▁w ards . ▁ ▁The ▁mayor ▁in ▁a ▁town ▁ch airs ▁the ▁town ▁council ▁and ▁heads ▁the