This article is part of a series looking at warrant articles leading up to the Town Meeting on May 6.
Check out the Current’s 2024 Town Meeting Guide HERE.
As Marblehead prepares for its annual Town Meeting on Monday, May 6, Town Moderator Jack Attridge is introducing several changes aimed at improving efficiency and participation, most notably the use of wireless electronic voting devices known as “clickers.”
The implementation of clickers follows the approval of Article 36 at the 2023 Town Meeting, allowing electronic counting devices to be provided to voters as they arrive at the meeting. The moderator now has the authority to decide whether the devices will be used to tabulate votes on any or all of the articles on the warrant.
In an interview with the Current, Attridge explained his motivation for implementing clickers, citing instances of voters photographing others’ votes at previous meetings and the potential for increased attendance and “more pure” voting due to the anonymity provided by the devices.
“Back when we had our first Town Meeting behind the Star of the Sea building during the pandemic, I noticed people taking pictures of how other people were voting during the meeting,” Attridge said. “And that made me sick to my stomach right away.”
Attridge also noted that clickers have been used successfully in other Massachusetts communities for over a decade, with no reported complaints from moderators or citizens. The town has purchased 1,500 clickers, which will be distributed randomly and not assigned to specific individuals, ensuring voter privacy. If they run out, he said the town has a mutual agreement with other towns to lend theirs.
Another significant change is the introduction of a consent agenda, which groups routine articles together to save time. Article 3 will combine several routine matters, such as accepting trust property and authorizing contracts, while Article 11 will address water and sewer department issues. Voters will have the option to “hold” specific items for further discussion, similar to the budget approval process.
“It’s just a small efficiency at Town Meeting,” Attridge said of the consent agenda. “And again, it’s with 53 articles, it’s a time saver. With 53 articles, it eliminates what would have been 61 articles.”
Key votes
Among the key issues up for vote are the adoption of local meals and room occupancy taxes (Articles 24 and 25), the creation of a Community Development and Planning Department (Article 34), changes to the Board of Assessors (Articles 35 and 38), and the proposed creation of three new zoning districts to allow multifamily housing under Article 36.
Article 36 seeks to establish the 3A Multi Family Overlay District in response to the state’s MBTA Communities Act, which requires certain cities and towns to allow multifamily housing near transit stations.
If approved, the article would create three new zoning districts on Tioga Way, Pleasant Street, and Broughton Road, totaling some 58 acres, where developers could build multifamily housing projects with at least 10% affordable units without needing special permits.
Leaf blowers and recalls
The meeting will also consider citizen petitions on topics ranging from leaf blowers (Articles 43-45) to recall votes (Article 50) and public restrooms (Article 51).
Attridge emphasized his commitment to maintaining civility during the proceedings, noting that state law and town bylaws grant him the authority to regulate the meeting. While he has the power to remove disruptive individuals, he expressed confidence in his ability to maintain order through reason and respect.
“I am [someone] of reason and [will] allow everybody their respectful place in the deliberations,” Attridge said. “As both [former moderators] Steve Howe and Gary [Spiess] have said, I will bring up every so often that ‘It seems like everything has been said on the matter, but not everybody has had the chance to say it.’”
Check out the Current’s 2024 Town Meeting Guide HERE.
