[Rich, 00:58]
If you are new to TM, you may also be new to the term "home rule petition." Massachusetts towns, like any Massachusetts municipalities, are creatures of the state and only have those powers The Great and General Court of Common Pleas of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (otherwise known as the state legislature) give them. When the General Laws or a special law does not give a town the authority to do something it wishes to do or to make a change to its charter, the Selectmen (after being authorized to do so by TM) may proffer a petition asking the legislature to pass the law laid out in the petition, thereby accomplishing the change the town wants. Like any other law, it must clear both chambers and be signed by the Governor (or passed over his veto).

You will note that Town Counsel will remind the Moderator to take a counted vote even though that is not strictly necessary. The legislature likes to see the actual level of support that existed in TM for the proposed change. If a home rule petition authorization passes only narrowly, there is a significant chance the legislature will deep-six it.