To the editor,
In Marblehead, one resident plans to propose an amendment to Article 1 “requiring articles in the Warrant to be taken up in their numerical order” at the upcoming Town Meeting.
The amendment would prioritize three high-interest articles before all other warrant items at the Monday, May 5 meeting starting at 7 p.m. The targeted articles are Article 23 (3A multifamily overlay district zoning), Article 34 (MHS roof and HVAC system project) and Article 33 (Mary A. Alley municipal building capital project).
“This amendment reflects one of my recommendations for increasing Town Meeting turnout in my February 5 column, ‘Town Meeting is broken,'” the resident explained. The proposal aims to boost participation above last year’s 5% turnout rate by allowing residents to weigh in on major issues without sitting through routine business.
The amendment specifically targets parents, seniors and busy professionals who struggle to attend the entire meeting.
“If you are interested in weighing in on these very important topics and care little about approving payments for unpaid accounts, vehicle leases, pay scales for seasonal workers and other mundane details of the operating budget, you need to show up at 7 p.m. sharp,” the resident wrote.
The town moderator has been informed of the planned amendment proposal.
Seamus Hourihan
Fort Sewall Lane
