What Would Get You To Participate in Local Government More?

There's usually low turnout at open town meetings or few candidates for representative ones.

Would you give up a Saturday in March to vote on your town's budget? How about a few nights a week for a month?  Open town meetings statewide typically draw a small percentage of the community's registered voters—a few hundred people at most. And many of them leave before the meeting ends. Representative town meetings usually have few who run for open slots. How can participation be improved? Tell us in the comments.

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GM

8:52 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013

I'm with you on your comments, Andy. Having spent a few years involved with our town's government, I have come away with a strong belief that local government is the best place to ensure that government in general is effective and efficient. The local community is where people understand the true needs of the residents, and where people are in the best position to judge the urgency of the needs …   more ›

Special Ed Debate Sparked at Town Meeting

Debates over stipends for elected officials and practices of the town's special education program ignited Monday night's town meeting.

When the Holliston school system's budget came to a vote at town meeting on Monday night, Jonathan Varrell took the podium to ask for reform to some of the town's special education practices.  He asked residents to vote against the $28.5 million budget until Superintendent Brad Jackson provided answers to why special education students were sometimes transported by a private taxi company.  "Dr. Jackson doesn't want to deal with special education," Varrell, a father of two children with learning disabilities, said.  Residents passed the budget by a vote of 84-52, but Varrell soon made a motion to reconsider the vote.  "I've never had someone question my integrity like this. I'm hurt by this," Jackson said during the meeting. "This budget is…

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Marijuana Fine, Solar Farms Among Items for Tonight's Town Meeting

Holliston residents will vote on a series of proposed bylaws and budget items at town meeting tonight.

A fine for marijuana users and a bylaw to regulate commercial solar projects are among the articles Holliston residents will vote on at tonight's town meeting.  The annual gathering of Holliston residents to vote on town bylaws, budget items and regulations begins at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Holliston High School auditorium.  A bylaw proposed by Police Chief John Moore could mean an additional $300 fine for those found smoking marijuana in public areas. It is listed as article 29 in the meeting's warrant.  "We hope, based on a high civil fine, people will think twice about smoking in a public place," Moore said.  Proposed by the Holliston Planning Board, article 34 on tonight's agenda is a bylaw that would regulate for-profit solar …

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Selectmen Discuss Marathon and Future Election Locations

At the Jan. 3 Board of Selectmen meeting, the group had an agenda which cover a wide variety of topics.

At the first Board of Selectmen meeting of the year, a small agenda and low attendance led to a briefer than normal meeting. Only three of the selectmen were present at the meeting, Brian Herr, John Mosher and Benjamin Palleiko. Here are some of the items the selectmen discussed. 1. The selectmen spent a majority of the meeting discussing a policy that outlines the relationship between the town and Boston Athletic Association. Most of the discussion revolved around specific language regarding the running numbers that the town gives out to local participants. The selectmen also discussed the use of the bleachers on the town common, and who is responsible for that. 2. The board touched briefly on the open meeting law regarding remote …

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Scenes from Hopkinton Town Meeting

Including the proper terminology for a group of assessors, provided by Town Moderator Bruce Karlin.

A rule made to be broken  Hopkinton's Appropriations Committee finished presenting the financial portion of the budget halfway through the second night of Town Meeting. Chairman Ron Eldridge said four of its members are stepping down. He and members Joseph Karner, Stuart Cowart and Mary Lou Haroian will move on to new venues. Member Michael Manning will continue. Eldridge, one of those  who makes the complicated look easy (like some people swing a golf club) has agreed to stay on with Cowart to help new members get grounded. Though there is a no applause rule at Town Meeting, Moderator Dr. Bruce Karlin not only allowed applause but joined in for this committee for the fine work it did last year and has done in the past. There is a brief …

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Hopkinton Town Meeting Closes on 2 Library Yes Votes

Moderator Bruce Karlin closes annual session by telling crowd, 'You're a good legislature.' Here's why.

Hopkinton Town Meeting had fairly lengthy discussions Tuesday night on an article to prohibit smoking by minors in outdoor public places, starting a process to allow photovoltaic power-farms in town and replacement of a 30-year-old Fire Department water-tank truck to service the third of town without hydrants. Despite several arguments on behalf of personal liberty, including warnings by several residents that the law contributed to an erosion of rights, the no-smoking article passed easily. The article originated with Hopkinton High School students who are part of the town’s beFree Coalition, which works to discourage use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. There are no penalties associated with the new bylaw. Police who determine smokers are …

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need to Know Today: May 2

Teacher Appreciation Week and Town Meeting get started.

1. Even more important than annual Town Meeting starting tonight, this is Teacher Appreciation Week. I have a particular one in mind for myself and others for both of my children. But I aappreciate anyone who has chosen education as a career and works daily to set the tone for our society and our individual and collective futures. So I guess my favorite teacher is all of them. How about you? 2. Hopkinton Annual Town Meeting starts tonight at 7 in the middle school. Open Town Meeting has been in place since the town was incorporated in 1715. It votes on local laws and town spending.  Open Town Meeting means all voters registered in Hopkinton may participate. Town Meeting decides the laws by voting on warrant articles. Articles can be …

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Hopkinton Historic District Commission Explains Vote

Gatekeepers to downtown Hopkinton Historic District remain unanimous and steadfast against plan for library expansion. Meeting turns into critique of moving ahead with library plan.

Members of the Hopkinton Historic District Commission feel that the proposed library expansion is too big for the downtown historic district and, HDC member Beth Kelly said, too big for the current economy. The library-expansion plan, which was initiated in 2008, was begun when people’s wallets were not so thin, Kelly said. It is also one of a number of projects the town needs that are aggravating financial  stresses already affecting many Hopkinton residents, she said. As for size, Chairman Mike Girardi said the HDC’s decision last Thursday to recommend that May 2 Town Meeting vote against two zoning articles and effectively end the library project was, bottom line, because a larger library would permanently and detrimentally alter the …

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