Middlesex Town Meeting Solutions Committee
Meeting Minutes
February 26, 2003

Present: Wilson Brett, Susan Clark, Martin Pincus, Dave Shepard, Barb Whitchurch and Greg Whitchurch

1. Town Hall Clean-up
The first hour of the meeting was spent in cleaning the Town Hall in preparation for Town Meeting. Committee members were aided by a number of volunteers in this task.

2. Town Meeting Preparation
Susan reported the Middlesex Owners Manual will hopefully be ready on the Monday afternoon preceding Town Meeting. It may be possible to have it delivered to people’s homes that day. Otherwise, they may be handed out at Town Meeting.

June Lakin has requested the committee’s help with setting up for Town Meeting.

The committee is on the agenda to give a report at Town Meeting. Martin suggested a short recounting of what we did during the past year and what we still want to do. Wilson said we should point out that we are conducting research and collect information but that we don’t actually make decisions. He also spoke about including any residents who are interested in the issues we are working on and that the committee could potentially branch out to include broader issues and help be a forum for residents to learn about issues. This led to a discussion about the scope of this committee - it could branch out to provide information and public forums on various issues or it could stick to the original mandate of addressing issues around participation at Town Meeting. Wilson noted that he believes there is some confusion among town residents as to what we do as a committee. Greg said he thinks we should work on helping people participate who can’t get to Town Meeting, investigate the possibility of revisiting controversial issues that are voted on at Town Meeting and facilitating discussion of issues of local interest. Wilson mentioned his concern about issues happening with the Federal Government that could have major impacts on our democratic freedoms.

There was a discussion of offering transportation for those who might need it to Town Meeting. Susan mentioned that last year an offer for transportation was publicized in the Middlesex Monthly and there were no takers. This year we haven’t advertised it but would certainly be willing to offer it. There was a suggestion that next year the offer of transportation with a contact person could perhaps be put into the Town Report.
 

The topic of moving the location of Town Meeting to Rumney School was brought up as something that had been talked about previously. Wilson offered that he thinks holding Town Meeting at Rumney School could tend to alienate some people.

The next meeting will be held on March 26 at 7:00 p.m.

Minutes recorded by Dave Shepard


                


Reviewed by Susan Clark