Next Tuesday, registered voters in the Town of Amherst will be fulfilling their biannual obligation of electing members of the town's governing select board. However, unlike most other town elections, this spring's ballot will also include 13 people vying for nine spots on a charter commission that will review Amherst's form of government and possibly raise the question of whether Amherst should adopt a mayoral system.

The charter commission "should examine the current form of Amherst town government and a variety of alternatives," said Town Manager Barry del Castilho.

Presently, the town manager is chosen by the select board, not the people. This has been a matter of concern among some Amherst residents, including Stanley Durnakowski, who said that he collected the 2,516 signatures needed to put one of the charter committee questions on the ballot because, "I would like Amherst to have a mayor instead of a manager. If the charter didn't get a mayor, I would like the people to vote on a manager every so often."

Durnakowski, who is running for a spot on the charter commission, said that whether Amherst adopts a manager or a mayor, that person should "be accountable to the taxpayers and the students."

"The people that go to UMass, Amherst and Hampshire should have the feeling that this is their home while they're here," added Durnakowski.

Also running for the charter commission is Jim Pitts, who wants "to offer the people a chance to decide whether their current government is working."

"We're not trying to unearth the Holy Grail. We're not trying to rewrite the Magna Carta. We just want to follow the people's mandate," he said.

Peter Asplin, a third candidate for the committee, said that he is "troubled by the thought of doing away with the position of town manager in a town of this size. I'm not saying I can't be convinced, but I have my concerns."

"I want to get a lot of citizen input before we start drafting a new charter. We'll hold open forums at the beginning and end of the process. I'm looking forward to those discussions," Asplin added.

Of the ballot's three referenda, two address the role of the charter committee. The third allows the creation of a community preservation fund to provide for the acquisition, creation and preservation of land for recreational use and community housing and land of historical importance. A small tax surcharge would apply if the motion passes. The ballot will also include the election of a member of the Town select board.