NEWFANE-Dan DeWalt’s first sentence — “when Vermont Town Meetings speak, the nation and the world listen” — is a classic example of grandiose thinking. Reality check: I doubt very much that any decision in Washington, D.C., is predicated on a vote at Newfane’s Town Meeting. Similarly, I see little indication that it has any impact on decisions made in Montpelier.
Just because we think Newfane town affairs are the reason for Town Meetings, we are accused of everything from being racists to being white supremacists. We are accused of trying to censor ideas. In fact, all we are asking is that Town Meetings stick to town business.
It is sad that millions of dollars in expenditures are approved in less than five minutes with no questions or discussion, while a statement about our position on the situation in Gaza is discussed for nearly three hours. This is the sort of thing that turns people away from the Democratic process called Town Meeting.
Having attended the meeting in question, some facts need to be highlighted.
The article did not pass as originally moved, but instead was amended several times, which required multiple procedural moves. To say the end result was confusing is an understatement.
At the point when this issue finally made it to the floor, working folks had left the building and the remaining attendees had been sitting on hard chairs for three to four hours without food or drink. Seeing no end in sight and having to do real life things like pick up kids, fix dinner, go to work, some opponents had thrown in the towel.
The article as amended finally passed when the vast majority of those remaining were supporters.
Also, since not all attendees were Newfane voters and it was a voice or hand vote, there is no way to certify that all votes were legitimate.
An important point is that the people asking that these sorts of petitions not be placed on the warning are Democrats, Republicans, and independent voters.
As we go forward, is this the sort of thing that will bring people back to the process? Does anyone else see a future Town Meeting with all sorts of pet issues?
What are the parameters for topics to appear on the warning? Is this a precedent we want to set? I feel confident that many voters could request their personal causes to be warned for Town Meeting.
None of this is to say that every single person hasn’t got a right to their opinions. They certainly do. All we are saying is that Town Meeting is not the time or the place.
Other groups are handling their own campaigns without the involvement of government. They do effective things like write letters to their elected officials, who can actually do something. They organize informational meetings to educate citizens. They have yard signs made. They write letters to the editor.
There are a multitude of important problems around the world, including war, famine, and drugs. Let’s not mire our Town Meetings in all of them.
Cristine A. White
Newfane
This letter to the editor was submitted to The Commons.
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