Friday, May 4, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Dedication Ceremony of the New Library
Hello Everyone,
The Walpole Public Library Trustees cordially invite all Town Meeting Representatives to the dedication ceremony of the new Walpole Public Library building this Saturday, April 28th at 10:30 AM.
Hope to see you there!
The Walpole Public Library Trustees cordially invite all Town Meeting Representatives to the dedication ceremony of the new Walpole Public Library building this Saturday, April 28th at 10:30 AM.
Hope to see you there!
Friday, April 6, 2012
A Call to Arms!
As I have posted here earlier in the year, I hope all current Town Meeting Members seek to retain their seats in the June election. A recent editorial in the Walpole Times sends out a challenge for people to get involved formally by running for Town Meeting. Read the piece here. I agree wholeheartedly with the tone of the editorial - there is no better way to get a direct say in how your government is run that to be an integral part of that government. I am confident that no town meeting seats will be left unfilled come June 2.
I also want to thank the author for the recognition of the new RTM orientation meeting I host each year. This event is one of the many enjoyable responsibilities of the moderator, probably my favorite. What really makes the session meaningful is the generous donation of time and perspective from the various key players in Town Meeting: Town Clerk Ron Fucile, Town Administrator Michael Boynton, and the Chairperson of the Board of Selectmen and the Chairperson of the Finance Committee, who have been different people throughout the years.
I heartily second the Times' motion to: " let your voices be heard!"
I also want to thank the author for the recognition of the new RTM orientation meeting I host each year. This event is one of the many enjoyable responsibilities of the moderator, probably my favorite. What really makes the session meaningful is the generous donation of time and perspective from the various key players in Town Meeting: Town Clerk Ron Fucile, Town Administrator Michael Boynton, and the Chairperson of the Board of Selectmen and the Chairperson of the Finance Committee, who have been different people throughout the years.
I heartily second the Times' motion to: " let your voices be heard!"
Attendance Matters
I came across this interesting article submitted by a member of the Town of Saugus Towm Meeting. The article is entitled "As I See It column: The Saugus Finance Committee — Does attendance matter?" Read the whole article here.
The author raises some interesting issues regarding the Saugus Finance Committee and its relationship to the moderator who appoints its members, and the Committee's relationship to town meeting in general, and concludes that for a FinCom to function properly, attendance does matter. The commentary touches on a lot of different issues, most of which are not foreign to Walpole Town Meeting.
One of my reactions in reading the article is totally beside the point, but I thought: "Saugus is a town?" I drive through Saugus on my way to and from the Lynn District Court, and Saugus is not what comes to mind when you think "town." And we have all been to the Kowloon at least once - that stretch of Route 1 is definitley not Mayberry, RFD. That being said, what really surprised me is that it only has 50 town meeting members? Totally surprised.
The author raises some interesting issues regarding the Saugus Finance Committee and its relationship to the moderator who appoints its members, and the Committee's relationship to town meeting in general, and concludes that for a FinCom to function properly, attendance does matter. The commentary touches on a lot of different issues, most of which are not foreign to Walpole Town Meeting.
One of my reactions in reading the article is totally beside the point, but I thought: "Saugus is a town?" I drive through Saugus on my way to and from the Lynn District Court, and Saugus is not what comes to mind when you think "town." And we have all been to the Kowloon at least once - that stretch of Route 1 is definitley not Mayberry, RFD. That being said, what really surprised me is that it only has 50 town meeting members? Totally surprised.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Town of Palmer: Back to the Future, UPDATE
One intrepid soul in the Town of Palmer, Mr. David Hale, is trying valiantly to get the town to come to its senses and reinstitute a Town Meeting form of Government. He has taken the next step when he recently turned in 1700 hundred petition signatures. His effort may be quixotic though, if Town Counsel gets his way: "David L. Hale and Raymond P. Domey delivered the final signatures for their petition to get a charter question on the June election ballot to the town clerk's office on Wednesday, even though they were told two weeks ago that the petition is invalid."
We have discussed on this blog in the past the concept of tenax propositi - tenacious of purpose. Mr. Hale embodies this ideal:
"There are voices suddenly cropping up to say that the petition is invalid. Where were they when we first started the campaign? They were nowhere to be found because they thought that we would fail! Now that we are on the verge of victory, they come out of nowhere-land to say that the wording that the town clerk's office gave us is wrong. This is unacceptable to the many, many good people who signed these papers in good faith!"
We will keep tabs on this saga........
My fellow Moderators and I lament when municipalities in Massachusetts choose to forego the sacred traditions of Town Meeting and select what purports to be more efficient form of government. The "Town of Braintree" has done it, as has Bridgewater. I hope it never becomes an issue in Walpole.
Residents of the town of Palmer are trying to go back to having a town meeting form of government.
As reported in October 2011, "David L. Hale refuses to give up his quest to return Palmer's government to town meetings and selectmen, and announced this week that he is initiating another petition drive to get a charter review question on the ballot for the June election. "There are people who think I'm crazy for doing this," Hale said."
It does not appear that it is going to be easy, but I, for one, applaud the principles behind Mr. Hale's efforts.
By the way, has anyone ever been to Emerson Lake in Palmer?
We have discussed on this blog in the past the concept of tenax propositi - tenacious of purpose. Mr. Hale embodies this ideal:
"There are voices suddenly cropping up to say that the petition is invalid. Where were they when we first started the campaign? They were nowhere to be found because they thought that we would fail! Now that we are on the verge of victory, they come out of nowhere-land to say that the wording that the town clerk's office gave us is wrong. This is unacceptable to the many, many good people who signed these papers in good faith!"
We will keep tabs on this saga........
My fellow Moderators and I lament when municipalities in Massachusetts choose to forego the sacred traditions of Town Meeting and select what purports to be more efficient form of government. The "Town of Braintree" has done it, as has Bridgewater. I hope it never becomes an issue in Walpole.
Residents of the town of Palmer are trying to go back to having a town meeting form of government.
As reported in October 2011, "David L. Hale refuses to give up his quest to return Palmer's government to town meetings and selectmen, and announced this week that he is initiating another petition drive to get a charter review question on the ballot for the June election. "There are people who think I'm crazy for doing this," Hale said."
It does not appear that it is going to be easy, but I, for one, applaud the principles behind Mr. Hale's efforts.
By the way, has anyone ever been to Emerson Lake in Palmer?
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Walpole Football and Cheer Banquet This Sunday
When I am not Moderating, I am on the Board of Directors of the Walpole Gridiron Boosters. The annual banquet to honor graduating senior football players and cheerleaders is this Sunday, March 18, 2012 to be held at Rafaels. A very talented local photographer named Tim Hoffman donates hundreds of hours each year to photograph the teams at each game throughout the season. Tim put together the following collage for the graduating senior football players.
Rarely getting the attention they deserve, the Walpole cheerleader athletes recently achieved a remarkable milestone, when they took second place in the Southeast Regionals.
Overall highest score in WHS history! The cheeleaders recently competed at the State Competition on Sunday, March 11 in Lowell!
These are just two of the many, many groups of young men and women Walpole Town Meeting supports through funding the school department budgets and other programs. This Sunday is a chance to say "Job well done" to these successful football players and cheerleaders moving on with their lives, no doubt carrying with them memories to last a lifetime.
Rarely getting the attention they deserve, the Walpole cheerleader athletes recently achieved a remarkable milestone, when they took second place in the Southeast Regionals.
Overall highest score in WHS history! The cheeleaders recently competed at the State Competition on Sunday, March 11 in Lowell!
These are just two of the many, many groups of young men and women Walpole Town Meeting supports through funding the school department budgets and other programs. This Sunday is a chance to say "Job well done" to these successful football players and cheerleaders moving on with their lives, no doubt carrying with them memories to last a lifetime.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Brimfield Town Meeting to Get Formally Involved in Casino Debate
From our neighbors to the West......
Click HERE to read an interesting article from Brimfield, MA, the site of a proposed casino.
Citizens there have gathered enough signatures to get an article on the upcoming Brimfield town meeting. According to the article by Kim Ring of the Telegram & Gazette, "enough signatures have been certified on the petition that will force the town to place a casino article on the May 21 annual town meeting warrant. It will ask voters if they will “support a resort casino development, accessible from the Massachusetts Turnpike, and located in the secluded northwest corner of Town (north of the Turnpike), which will generate millions of dollars annually in tax revenues for the town.”
The question is nonbinding and will be voted on less than six months after MGM Resorts International revealed it hopes to build a casino in Brimfield. As of now, MGM has not revealed any drawings depicting what the development might look like, and an ad hoc group called Preserve Brimfield says more details are needed if voters are to make an informed choice.
As I stated in an earlier post, I am going to keep my eyes open for stories of how other town meetings are dealing with the casino issues in their communities. Just thought this might be an interesting read.
Have a nice weekend!
Click HERE to read an interesting article from Brimfield, MA, the site of a proposed casino.
Citizens there have gathered enough signatures to get an article on the upcoming Brimfield town meeting. According to the article by Kim Ring of the Telegram & Gazette, "enough signatures have been certified on the petition that will force the town to place a casino article on the May 21 annual town meeting warrant. It will ask voters if they will “support a resort casino development, accessible from the Massachusetts Turnpike, and located in the secluded northwest corner of Town (north of the Turnpike), which will generate millions of dollars annually in tax revenues for the town.”
The question is nonbinding and will be voted on less than six months after MGM Resorts International revealed it hopes to build a casino in Brimfield. As of now, MGM has not revealed any drawings depicting what the development might look like, and an ad hoc group called Preserve Brimfield says more details are needed if voters are to make an informed choice.
As I stated in an earlier post, I am going to keep my eyes open for stories of how other town meetings are dealing with the casino issues in their communities. Just thought this might be an interesting read.
Have a nice weekend!
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