Right on the money with this. Even the comments here prove this. Coming from NYS where village governments up had elected mayors, there was often a fiefdom. Massachusetts has fed my soul with its tradition of Town Meetings and initiatives. But I am a former history teacher whose knowledge of what can go wrong is more meaningful to me than to many, or most. Nantucket is a great example of sliding down that hill, and is contemplating doing away with Town Meetings. I’ve family who’ve lived there since the good old days and I know they’ve got serious issues that are so partisan I’m not sure they’ll be resolved for the good of the future . The system of initiatives in MA is so awesome, but there are those who’d do away with this form of direct democracy because they don’t like what’s being called for. I used to teach a course to high school seniors called Participation in Government that was mandatory for graduation. We tried to facilitate young people about to graduate to understand what policy building is, what consensus means, what the true nature of being a citizen in a democracy expects. It was marvelous, until it was it morphed into something pedantic because new teachers coming up had no frame of reference and thought it was too hard, so eventually abandoned . What you said here reminds me of our initial goals. Sadly people shrug their shoulders and acquiesce their power to whomever has the biggest mouth.
Spare us the lecture Seth. I was treated HORRIBLY by the Wellfleet Dems when I ran for Selectboard in Wellfleet and I am more liberal than all of you self-righteous blowhards who fear I am a Republican or worse yet, Trumper, because I am Unaffiliated. Local elections should remain non-partisan and I don't think the Dems have anything to fear in the State of Massachusetts. They invited me to their "Meet the Candidates" session and treated me exactly how Seth describes, except it was them! I've asked for a copy of this recording and guess what, they won't give it to me, so much for Freedom of Information. The last time Wellfleet's Selectboard spoke for the People was on December 20, 2022 when they told Seth and his Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance that we don't want or need their help with our marina.
Seth, oh Seth, I wish you could spend time on the Vineyard, where six small towns each have their selectboard, and their boards of this, that, and the other thing. Not surprisingly, there are uncontested elections and un-applied-for vacancies. Also not surprisingly, in my town of West Tisbury, the huge majority of board members are over 60 and are often retirees with time (and money) on their hands and not all that much knowledge about the dynamics existed before they got here. It's a frigging mess. Nero and his fiddle keep coming to mind.
My mom was a selectwoman in Wellfleet, my nephew is now. There is no more stressful volunteer position in local government than the selectboard. The amount of time to prepare for issues and meetings is a full time job. There is not much thanks at all received from the citizens who are served. You go in hoping to serve and do well for the town, and end up needing a shield to protect your heart and soul from the people who don't know how to express their opinions without undue angry vitriol.
Once again, Seth has hit the nail on the head. My little home town of Truro is going through an ugly period of misinformation and vitriol, capped by widespread mistrust of elected town officials and the town administrator. Participation in town boards has become one victim. New board members are appointed by the SelectBoard based on the degree to which their views match the administration, which drastically limits the talent pool and thwarts a more open and fruitful discussion.
Right on the money with this. Even the comments here prove this. Coming from NYS where village governments up had elected mayors, there was often a fiefdom. Massachusetts has fed my soul with its tradition of Town Meetings and initiatives. But I am a former history teacher whose knowledge of what can go wrong is more meaningful to me than to many, or most. Nantucket is a great example of sliding down that hill, and is contemplating doing away with Town Meetings. I’ve family who’ve lived there since the good old days and I know they’ve got serious issues that are so partisan I’m not sure they’ll be resolved for the good of the future . The system of initiatives in MA is so awesome, but there are those who’d do away with this form of direct democracy because they don’t like what’s being called for. I used to teach a course to high school seniors called Participation in Government that was mandatory for graduation. We tried to facilitate young people about to graduate to understand what policy building is, what consensus means, what the true nature of being a citizen in a democracy expects. It was marvelous, until it was it morphed into something pedantic because new teachers coming up had no frame of reference and thought it was too hard, so eventually abandoned . What you said here reminds me of our initial goals. Sadly people shrug their shoulders and acquiesce their power to whomever has the biggest mouth.
Don’t forget School Committees...lots of intensity on varied topics
Spare us the lecture Seth. I was treated HORRIBLY by the Wellfleet Dems when I ran for Selectboard in Wellfleet and I am more liberal than all of you self-righteous blowhards who fear I am a Republican or worse yet, Trumper, because I am Unaffiliated. Local elections should remain non-partisan and I don't think the Dems have anything to fear in the State of Massachusetts. They invited me to their "Meet the Candidates" session and treated me exactly how Seth describes, except it was them! I've asked for a copy of this recording and guess what, they won't give it to me, so much for Freedom of Information. The last time Wellfleet's Selectboard spoke for the People was on December 20, 2022 when they told Seth and his Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance that we don't want or need their help with our marina.
Seth, oh Seth, I wish you could spend time on the Vineyard, where six small towns each have their selectboard, and their boards of this, that, and the other thing. Not surprisingly, there are uncontested elections and un-applied-for vacancies. Also not surprisingly, in my town of West Tisbury, the huge majority of board members are over 60 and are often retirees with time (and money) on their hands and not all that much knowledge about the dynamics existed before they got here. It's a frigging mess. Nero and his fiddle keep coming to mind.
You were doing good till you got to (one president ago).
My mom was a selectwoman in Wellfleet, my nephew is now. There is no more stressful volunteer position in local government than the selectboard. The amount of time to prepare for issues and meetings is a full time job. There is not much thanks at all received from the citizens who are served. You go in hoping to serve and do well for the town, and end up needing a shield to protect your heart and soul from the people who don't know how to express their opinions without undue angry vitriol.
Once again, Seth has hit the nail on the head. My little home town of Truro is going through an ugly period of misinformation and vitriol, capped by widespread mistrust of elected town officials and the town administrator. Participation in town boards has become one victim. New board members are appointed by the SelectBoard based on the degree to which their views match the administration, which drastically limits the talent pool and thwarts a more open and fruitful discussion.