Town Hall

Ironically the other item I wanted to post flows straight from the previous post. Monday night, I was in no rush although I did have something in the evening - Town Hall Meeting. It’s been years and I have yet to attend one. I grew up in a town with a mayor and selectmen (or something like that). There was no venue that would come even close to town meetings. I have yet to figure it all out of who does what in the town I’m in now. No mayor, we have a town manager. But he just executes and manages things. There is a board of selectmen and they can vote on some stuff but have limited scope too. It’s the town meeting members that seem to vote on the bigger items. And there’s so much more in between. Now there are dozens and dozens of town meeting members. Maybe over a hundred. And they meet at least once a year and work through all the articles before them. This can last weeks. They meet each night (but not every night) at the old town hall for hours debating and discussing and voting.


From the stories I’ve heard it was something that would be entertaining to view but torturous to have to participate in. Somehow I had gotten wind that Monday night the article concerning the local elementary school we’re working on would be up. So when my bus dropped me off at my stop just outside of town hall and I saw it was still going on at 9 pm at night I figured I’d pop in and see what I caught.

And talk about timing, about fifteen minutes later they took up the school article. There was a recess right before so I was able to pop over and talk to the architect who was in attendance. I’m sitting there and folks are mingling and stretching the legs (I think the meeting started 3 hours earlier). And I know a ton of people. It made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Got a wave from the superintendent of the schools, a head nod from the fire chief, caught up with a selectman I hadn’t seen for awhile and other folks. It was nice and busy.

(image is of the actual room, but several years earlier during a campaign)
Now let me provide the setting. The town hall has that nice old architecture of years past. Wood paneling and balcony seating on three sides of the room. A big stage up front on which they had placed three big wooden desks for the officiators of the session. The head guy was sitting in a wing chair that had a back that went a good four feet above his head. It was tall and seemed like something you would see on a Tim Burton set. The place was crowded. Seats set up on the floor for all the town meeting members and a crowd of spectators up in the balcony composed mainly of concerned parents. There was a buzz in the air.

The issue of the school is a hot topic. Our town is facing major budget issues like many towns. A debt override is needed to finance the school which would have a direct effect on what the townsfolk pay in taxes. And the economy is not great as we all know. It would be best if we could wait for awhile. On the flip side, the school is in bad shape, we’re at the top of the list to receive some funding from the state, this project was supposed to have happened years ago and it’s one of the last schools to get an overhaul. It’s their turn.

The session begins again and I love the formalities of the whole thing. The issue is presented and is then opened to discussion. You have to raise your hand and wait to be called on to present. I was impressed the moderator knew everyone’s name. Then you proceeded to the front podium and where you state your name and address. And this is if you’re a town meeting member. If you’re not, you have to have a town meeting member go up and nominate you to speak. I think if you’re not a resident they then vote to decide if they’ll let you speak. There’s a bunch of prepared speeches from PTA and other key officials making an impassioned case to move forward with the funding. Then there are questions from members and some are random. One lady was really concerned about the quality of school lunches while the project was under construction and the kids are at the other schools. I couldn’t figure out if she would vote against the article and have them remain in the poor school conditions if she wasn’t happy with their food situation under the temporary conditions.

At the one point, one of the older gentlemen raised his hand and when called upon, forwent going to the podium and just shouted something out and pointed. I couldn’t understand it but it boiled down to no signs. Some of the parents in the balcony had made signs supporting the school project. Apparently you’re not allowed to display them inside. It was comical and very entertaining. I had my knitting and I had not had to watch the excruciating three hour preview that went line item by line item through the budget (I caught the last part when they were talking about photocopiers - it would have gotten old quickly). Plus I had the added benefit of having that fuzzy feeling of hearing my name in the official presentation. The school committee member was mentioning some of us that were in attendance that night, although he had lost track where I was sitting - I had moved to the balcony as I think you’re only supposed to be on the floor if you’re a town meeting member.

And just as I was starting to wonder how long this would be drawn out it abruptly ended and some legal jargon was thrown out and they voted. They do a roll call vote only if the margin is tight. It needs a 2/3s vote to pass and the moderator does a first pass of ayes and nays and bases it on how loud each group is. It gave me shivers when you hear the resonating boom of ayes go through the room in one fell swoop. The article passed unanimously!

I duck out at that point into the dark rainy night, pouring onto the streets with the other spectators, walking quickly home with a happy feeling albeit a hungry stomach since it was after 10 pm and no dinner yet!