A Tale of Two Meetings

The Planning Board meeting last night went out live on Cable Access. I have to say I was rather surprised at the less than overflowing crowd, and also how the meeting was conducted.

Let's address how the meeting was conducted. Pretty darn well if you ask me. 

While so of the speakers did stray from the rules of engagement at times, most of the people managed to rein in their comments about the existing turbines. There were just one or two speakers who couldn't it in.  

The time limitation seemed more than adequate for those who had anything constructive to say, and although I was a bit baffled a time or two at how long five minutes can actually be for people.

The Chair ran a pretty solid hearing. He ably reigned in a speaker or to, especially when there was the attempt to resort to cheap theatrics. 

It is appropriate to address crowd size here.  No one can say for sure why this meeting didn't draw the same size crowds as has been drawn in the past.  Although if one pays attention, the crowds are in fact dwindling overall.  Certainly an issued protocol may have dissuaded a number of people who might have been inclined to address matters outside of the protocol.  I think also the fact that there was the clear perception before hand  that the meeting was not going to be allowed to dissolve into an argument played into it.  

Again folks, it is all about perception, or as I am fond of saying at least 95% of it.

The Planning Board should in fact be commended for adopting the policy and procedures for this meeting. 

The Chair should offer a lesson or two to others on how to conduct a public hearing. 

I give him great credit for the restraint he showed from being sucked into an argument even though he was baited several times. There was a spot or two where one could see temptation gaining hold, and at the end I thought he might actually succumb to the tactic, but when the push cam to shove,he managed to keep on course.

Some other observations of note, or some I just want to make:

- it was an overwhelmingly anti-turbine crowd. 

- it was not the overflowing crowd anticipated.

- it was not overkill to have police officers in attendance. When you have people opposed to turbines taking to the airwaves in advance of a meeting, complaining about holding the meeting in the banquet room because it will be too small when you have had past examples of how a meeting quickly goes from orderly to chaos, when you have to hold a public hearing under law to insure the proper submission of a zoning by-law, it is never overkill to attempt to insure an orderly process.

- while I mentioned it above, a second kudos to the Chair of the Planning Board and its members for the policy instituted and its implementation. Was it a perfect meeting? Of course not, and quite frankly I would dare say the perfect meeting doesn't exist. What it was was an example of the best "public hearing" on a contentious issue seen in this town in my memory. 

I heard all kinds of complaints and snide remarks about the protocol. Quite frankly, when issued and read I had no problem with the same, and after seeing the hearing, any critics of the same should be silenced.

- there are several other boards who have to deal with the turbines. The may want to take a page out of the PG playbook for the same. 

- The turbines themselves, well this meeting wasn't about the two we have. Those two were rightly kept off the table for discussion last night. whether the discussion which should take place elsewhere actually will is going to greatly depend on the "willingness" of elected officials to address the segment of the public affected and concerned.

I learned a very valuable lesson several decades ago about the wrong strategy to adopt in dealing with issues like this. From the perspective of those who have the authority, their strategy may be working. In deed they may actually end up winning the battle, but in the long run, they have lost the war. 

The cost of which will begin more and more obvious attempting to go forward with any proposal or strategy or plan or policy.

- As far as winning battles and losing wars, hopefully this is a concept that will not be lost on too many people come Town Meeting.  My gut tells me that if a proposal is put forth by the Planning Board, it will pass, with a caveat.

If that proposal gets amended to death on the floor, or even if there are just a few amendments with radical changes, it won't muster a 2/3 vote.  Just an observation on the practicality of trying to accomplish something on TM floor.  Those who are going to be dissatisfied with the proposal, and no matter what it is, short of an out right ban there will be a number of people who will be, need to assess the reality of it all.  

Drifting back a day or two ...

I watched the Selectmen's meeting Monday night. this was their budget meetings with the "Big Four".  Of particular interest was the segment related to the school department. 

Several points based on the "discussion" on the department school budget, and some figures you might find helpful. 

Of course if you didn't watch the meeting, it may not be at all helpful.  Unfortunately I don't have the time for a play by play recap.

I agree a poor procedure for them (school dept.) to list the column for FY 2013 as what was requested rather than actual budget, however, it is what it is. 

Of course had a telephone call been made in advance pointing out the problem and difficulty it is causing in addressing the budget request, and there had been a refusal to clarify, then I see nothing wrong with a bit of public criticism.

To let poor procedure, not to mention the lack of any formal procedure, bog down the process would cause gridlock throughout the budget process. 

It is not like this is the first time someone has distorted numbers, be it a result of willful, wanton or negligent action.

Again, while the actual appropriated numbers rather than the prior requests would be more helpful when reviewing this years request, and should have been used instead of the FY 2013 requested numbers, I believe we can easily loose sight of the forest for the trees when determining the validity of any request when we attempt to focus on simply the "number". 

This isn't rocket science for anyone involved in the process for more than a year or two.  

Total FY 14 school request is $17,978,499. FY 13 appropriation was $17,655,049. 

Difference is $323,450. 

Increase in k -12 transportation FY 2014 request accounts for $238,920. 

Now personally, those are the numbers I looked at.  Those are the numbers I am using, and some others if and when it comes down to reduction time, but those are the numbers readily available.

Start with those, do some math, and see what you can come up with.  Please, feel free to let me know your thoughts based just on these numbers.

Enough for today.  Be safe out there.