Next Up - Near and Far

Near

If you aren't aware of the fact, the Annual Town Meeting Warrant for the meeting to be held May 5, 2012 has been posted.  As an FYI, it is my understanding that Articles 12, 13 and 14 will be withdrawn.  That still leaves us with a 50 article annual warrant.  Then we have the special town meeting warrant to deal with.

It is going to be a bit of a difficult day for a number of reasons.  Not the least of which is there will be a fair amount of new members.  Attempts are going to be made to try and streamline the process as much as possible, so I am told.

By streamline I mean make it more "user" friendly.  There is only so much that can be done in this area though.  There are specific legal requirements for the conducting of votes, procedures that must be followed, in running town meeting.  As much as we would like to all be able to do away with certain things, some things just cannot be done.

New members would be best served by attending the precinct meetings to be scheduled and staying for the "preview" for town meeting held afterward.  It is a session devoted to trying to address questions on procedure, and the actual articles themselves.

It is to every one's benefit to try and get as much information as possible prior to the actual meeting.

Several points to keep in mind:  specific statutes, town by-laws and town meeting precedent dictate how the meeting is conducted.  Roberts Rules of Order do come into play, but not universally, and the Rules do not take precedent over the first three.  At Town Meeting, the Town Moderator's decision in most instances is final, however, that decision can be challenged by the body in specific limited instances (Note the use of the words specific and limited, not all).

People are allowed to make motions from the floor to amend an article, for indefinite postponement and a number of other things.  these things can complicate the process and add confusion.  Nonetheless it many instances they are valid procedures that must be dealt with.

If you are reading this and scratching your head, you are not alone.  It isn't simple, often hard to follow and can take years to master.  And let me tell you, as long as I have been at it, I haven't mastered all of it.

While I am trying to be a bit diplomatic here, I will also note that you do not have the right to get up and just say anything you want about anything.  Speakers comments are suppose to be limited to the article being discussed.  

No one's right to speak at Town Meeting, indeed at any meeting, is absolute, even under the first amendment.

There will be those who feel compelled to test the limits, cross the line and on occasion seek to abuse "the process".  In fact I can all most guaranty it will happen several times, and can probably predict who will do it.

But that is why we have a Moderator.

As a town meeting member you are part of an elected representative body, tasked with performing your duties to the best of your abilities.  The fact that others may disagree with how you do so is a fact you and they have to come to terms with.

You will at times be faced with conflicting recommendations from town officials, boards and committees.  You will certainly be faced with differing opinions from your fellow Town Meeting Members.  It will be your job to decide the one you feel is right.

In the coming days I will weigh in on a number of the articles.  What I have to say is a personal opinion.  You should do your own research on the matters and issues to form your own opinions.

If someone has something particular in mind, feel free to join in the discussion.  

In the mean time, get the word out.  The warrant is on line.  Take a look at it now.  Don't wait for the printed version to be mailed to you.  If you are not a town meeting member, remember that those who are, represent you.  Make your opinions known to your elected representatives.

Far (not that far just further down the page)

Some of you may read today's S-T on the proposed New Bedford Charter Change and take from it the impression that the effort to do so in Fairhaven will be too long a path.  I hope you don't.

You will read a very brief digested version of what is involved in such a process.  A petition by 15% of the voters, an elected nine person commission, and yes, there is a certain length to the process (approximately 18 months).  You will read that it is a difficult to do.  All true.

Yet as with many things of this magnitude, there is a reason behind the things that must be done.  

It is not an easy thing to accomplish, that is a given.  It is not easy, because it should not be so.  Otherwise we would be seeing proposals every year to alter this, add, that, and do away with whatever aspect is not popular at any given moment.

Government should not be impossible to change, yet it should never be done on a whim.  Our founding fathers understood that when they put the mechanism that exists to amend our national Constitution in place.

But he process to for a Charter Commission and to proposed such a formal Charter, while difficult is not impossible.  While it involves hard work, there is clearly a significant return to be had for the effort to be expended.  

If we are serious about the need to look at our form of government, and propose to the voters such changes as believed beneficial then the task should not be looked on as difficult but as absolutely necessary.  To start out with the belief something cannot be done is to create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

There is no doubt in my mind that a Charter Commission is essential for the long term future of our town.  We as a town, need to rally behind such a concept, to embrace it, to make it our governmental road map for the future.