Thank you to Chris Schaffner (Opinion, April 14) for his thoughtfulness and courage in starting a discussion on replacing Town Meeting with a more practical, modern and representative mechanism.
This town likes to talk about “inclusiveness” and fairness, yet we make important decisions by effectively polling 400 people to represent 18,000. I would further suggest that it is largely the same 400 people who show up to Town Meetings because they have the time to sit through hours of endless discussion and happen to be present when a particular issue comes up for vote.
By its design — in today’s world — Town Meeting effectively disenfranchises people from their voting rights. Our Concord forebears would roll over in their graves over this modern day version of “taxation without representation”.
Now, I know some will say that if the rest of us really cared, we would show up. But this ignores practicality in today’s busy world, especially since there are other, better options – for example, well established voting places and processes used for state and federal elections.
It’s time to bring our entire town into a decision making process that is more representative, and I’d suggest the Select Board take this issue up at its earliest possible convenience.
Joe Laurin
Southfield Road
