LETTER, Town Moderator: 'The People of Wayland Believe Strongly in Fair Play'

To the Editor:

Much has been said and written about what some may feel were voting improprieties at the Town Meeting last Monday, April 13. Nevertheless, from everything I have seen and heard the situation was at its most heinous the appearance of a potential for impropriety. Not one scintilla more than that.

What this controversy does demonstrate is that the people of Wayland believe strongly in fair play and the integrity of the voting process. For someone to depress two handsets would be to cast two votes and violate that integrity and every precept of democratic fairness. But despite the rhetoric no one that I have heard from can say that actually happened.

As Moderator I may need to speak and remind more often about the ban on proxy voting at the Town Meeting. As a community we may need to better understand that at times appearances do count for something. But on the whole stringent and uncomfortable new measures to guard against perceived impropriety, are not warranted.

This issue will be discussed at the ELVIS meeting on Thursday, April 30. At that time we can all discuss what reasonable steps can be taken going forward to maintain the integrity of the voting process that is at the heart of Town Meeting.

Dennis Berry
15 George Street
Moderator