Anyway ....

Tonight are the precinct meetings at the Middle School.  Meetings start at 6:30 P.M.   If you are a town meeting member, try and get there.   The meetings are very important every year, but even more so this year.

First, the precinct chair and secretary are elected.  Then the precinct members in a number of precinct will need to break tie votes for elected town meeting members.  Some of the ties are for the length of term.  Some are for whether someone actually becomes a town meeting member.

Also, there are a few precincts with slots open.  Those slots would be filled if the precinct has a quorum and someone wants the seat.

There will be the town meeting warrant run through for the special and annual.  Great time to ask questions.  Hopefully you can get answers.

I thought I would avoid specific discussion on any article today.  Wednesday has been developing into a potential no post day.  Since I wanted to get the word out about the precinct meeting, at least the reminder, I figured I would put something together.  

I got this nagging feeling that what we have been experiencing is the quiet before the storm.  Normally this close to town meeting, I usually have a pretty solid idea of what to expect.  This year the only thing I am expecting is the unexpected.

I know there will be some hot button votes.  

I have had people discussing some of them with with me, wish they would join in on here, but it is not a forum for everyone, and I get that.  

What has my curiosity up is what hasn't happened at this point.  Normally, you will see several public moves made that haven't been.  It will be interesting to see if there are any new recommendation changes at tonight's meeting, or even on Saturday morning.  

I am also waiting for the holds on article 4.  All ready know the three or four for certain at this point.  But since no specifics today, all I will say is it is the town's peoples money.  Money meeting is elected to make the decisions how it is spent and how the town conducts other business.  If town meeting decides to do something, or not, that is good enough for me.

An idea for next year.  What do you think about the televised pre-town meeting show, rather than just a run through by the selectboard reps., we have the various board and committees with articles also on to explain?  Just an idea.

Anyway ...

I have admittedly been paying much closer attention to the selectmen's meetings lately that in the past.  Use to follow them religiously.  Fell off that wagon for awhile.  Think it is time to jump back on.  The convenience of live broadcasting, coupled with the fact that one can talk, yell, rant at his t.v. makes sitting at home the ideal situation.  I do intend to pop in once in awhile.

Kind of like watching a ball game.  T.V. is great but going out to the park once and a while, just can't beat it.

We have a very interesting mix right now.  I have been thinking about that mix and what went on this past Monday.  Some really interesting stuff.  I would really like to know where Selectman Espindola came up with the opinion that the rule of necessity would apply to his discussion a town counsel opinion on the wind project.

Does he know of or believe another selectman has a conflict?  Or has he been advised the rule might apply to him?  Will have to ask him at some point.

Will have to ask Selectman Murphy how he could have had questions about the rule of necessity.

Again, it was recently invoked by the board for because of the fact that two selectmen, including Mr. Murphy I believe, are/were on the town insurance plan and the selectmen had to discuss and vote on rate changes.

You would think that since you were very recently involved in the application of the rule it might be a bit more clear than it seemed to be for him.

I have received some communications relative to what I know about the no vote on the liquor license article (not getting into the specifics of the article now).  I have advised people, and do so here, to contact your selectmen directly to explain their vote.

First, it seems when they get what they consider to be an overwhelming response on a matter, it helps them make up their mind.  Secondly, only they can explain their rationale.  I can only offer a guess.

I personally do not have a clue as to why the fact someone else's request for special legislation for a license hasn't been acted upon in Boston should be a reason to withhold a recommendation on someone else seeking to do the same thing.

Quite frankly the law allows you to petition for licenses in excess of your quota.  It is up to us as a town to decide if we want to do that.  It is then up to Boston to decide if they want to give it to us.  If you think we have too many licenses all ready, well I can live with that.  But the you and the we at this point should be our selectmen and town meeting deciding in the first instance for ourselves, and shouldn't be based on some feeling or opinion out of Boston.

Yes ultimately Boston decides whether to issue the license.  Initially it is this town that decides whether to allow the request.

As I said yesterday, I don't agree with the "quota" system.  And if you put in place a mechanism for special legislation, I don't buy into the new unwritten quota system of letting some official determine whether we now have too many.  Each request should succeed or fail on its own merits, not because there are enough other establishments.  

Guess I strayed and did get into an article.  I am not addressing the merits however, just questioning the system so to speak.

Again, anyway ...