There were far less people voting on article 5 because the vote came late - literally 2 plus hours after the start of the meeting. Many of us did not feel comfortable being inside (mask and all) for that length of time. Some were outside at the beginning but the rain drove them to their cars or home. The town did their best on communications among the various locations but it was a long way from ideal - with sound cutting off regularly and confusion about what ballot to use for voting. In short, it was a less than ideal situation all around.
I agree with previous comments on several issues:
1. As someone who has been a town resident for only six years, my view is that town officials (employees and selectmen) are not as open to public participation as the town that I came from (where public input was welcomed, encouraged and listened to). Unscientifically, I feel this is part of the problem with the factions in town and with town leadership. The lack of public participation (and/or the inability or unwillingness to listen to public input -town charette and previous votes are examples) is at the heart of our town's problem. Few residents want to be in a middle ground/compromise position.
2. The town seems to operate in silos or fiefdoms. With decreasing enrollment in our schools, one would think we could find some compromise on availability of the current gyms for recreational use of children during summer and after school. When the adult pickle ball group wanted to explore the availability of the high school or grade school gym in the winter time, it was a flat no. There was no willingness to compromise or even discuss this creative option. Instead, they were relegated to the old gym/cafeteria and it was a grudging allowance at best.
Another example, the town library sale is an enormously popular even each Fourth of July weekend and raises significant dollars for the library. The biggest expense? Renting several large tents. Meanwhile the public safety garage housing fire trucks and emergency vehicles is 150 yards away. Why couldn't the trucks relocate or stay outside in a suitable location for three days and allow this large space to be used for the library sale? The answer I got (informally) was public safety would not allow this use. In the town I came from, the fire trucks were relocated several times a year so the space could be used for town events and fundraisers. My point is it is the unwillingness to think creatively to save money and use facilities efficiently. (and I also think for some residents just believe the town taxpayers can afford it, why not just build it.)
3. The town meeting process was a fiasco this year - largely due to Covid but also poor communication and haphazard decision making. If the town is to ever come together, we need to find a way to reach compromise that benefits all of us - to some degree. And the town leaders need to be much more open to listening to residents - all residents and invite them into the process to solve problems.
That's my two cents and probably what my thoughts are worth!
