An Ad Hoc Approach For A More Open Town Meeting

There are times during a battle when the strongest move by an advancing force is a strategic retreat in which to later gain a greater victory.

Roger Colton decided to pull back on his latest battle with an eye on a bigger prize: a far more open manner of supplying information to the Town Meeting.

Colton ­– who has nearly single handedly pushed forward a move to make Town Meeting a far more open process – accessed the mood of Town Meeting in April and decided there was a strong feeling on the part many members that one of his citizen petitions was addressing a real problem but not in the right way.

So, when Town Meeting reconvened on Tuesday, May 25, Colton, a member from Precinct 6, requested , be dismissed.

The article asked that members receive a copy of the budget in its most current form no fewer than 21 days prior to the session at which Town Meeting will discuss it and that copies be available to the public at the Town Clerk's office and library at least 14 days before the date Town Meeting reviews the budget.

But rather than move forward on his less than perfect article, Colton met with Town Moderator Michael Widmer last month to discuss an alternate plan of appointing an Ad Hoc Committee on Town Meeting communications.

Widmer said he thinks it is an excellent idea as did Town Meeting members who approved dismissing the article as well as allowing Widmer to establish the committee.

At April Town Meeting, Colton presented several citizen petitions aimed at streamlining the process of the town's top governing board by providing members with more information in a timely manner.

Colton feels the ad hoc committee can help find ways to improve the way information is shared with Town Meeting members before and after the meetings.

The temporary committee will be an advisory board to Town Meeting. It will be comprised of 9 members appointed by Widmer: one from each precinct and one at-large member.

The Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Warrant Committee, Planning Board and other permanent committees will be resources for the group as it examines ways to improve the sharing of information with Town Meeting members.

The committee will prepare a formal, written report that will be delivered to the town moderator no later than April 1, 2011 and will be disbanded no later that Dec. 31, 2011 unless Town Meeting votes to extend the group.

The responsibilities of the committee are to complete the following tasks:

• Become thoroughly familiar with the existing processes by which information is presented to Town Meeting members, paying particular attention to the annual town budget and proposed zoning changes;

• Solicit input from Town Meeting members about their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the existing processes affecting amount, quality and timing of information provided to Town Meeting;

• Consult with Town Meeting members, elected and appointed town officials on how to enhance the strengths and mitigate the weaknesses expressed by Town meeting members on information provided to the Town Meeting, and

• Recommend – when appropriate – policies, procedures and processes that will enhance the strengths and mitigate the weaknesses on how Town Meeting receives information.