[fatlazyless]

Changing the voting day from a Tuesday night to a Saturday morning for the annual School Administrative Unit #3, Meredith, Center Harbor, Sandwich, and Ashland Elementary (if I remember correctly) is like a major change. What it does is to make the meeting much more convenient for people to attend. All residents from the towns can vote, and not just those with students in the school.

Yesterday's Oct 19 LaDaSun has a front page article on the big increases coming in Meredith town water and sewer rates which quotes a local woman: "I could cry that there are not more people here tonight,' said Dorothy Brown, one of only four residents to appear at the hearing. She recalled that in March the people of Meredith failed to attend the annual meeting of the Inter-Lakes School District in sufficient numbers to prevent a contingent from Sandwich adding $1.2-million to the budget. 'We're still not awake.' she declared."

It's probably not just a coincidence that the last annual meeting and vote, held in March 2010, had the Sandwich residents rolling down from the hills of Sandwich in a long line of cars and pickups, and into the Inter-Lakes High School like a large 'phalanx.' Phalanx is the word that was used by the Laconia Daily Sun, and is not a word that is part of my regular vocabulary.

Phalanx (definition)

-A compact or close-knit body of people.

-A formation of ancient Roman infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears, as it moves forward to engage the enemy.

Reading through the Oct 13, LaDaSun article, tells you that is was not a unanimous vote but a close vote between the school board members from the different towns. This vote on making the meeting take place on a Saturday had come up before and was always voted down, until just now at the latest school board meeting, when it got the big green light of a majority vote.

Who knows, but if a Saturday morning school meeting turns out to be well received by Meredith voters, then perhaps a Saturday will also be considered for their annual town meetings as well. If it is good for the goose, then is it good for the gander?