AN INSIDE LOOK
By Bill Gouveia
While
flipping through a myriad of cable television channels late the other night, I
came across a bad movie from 1989 that I remembered as amusing. It was called “Weekend at Bernie’s”, and as I
watched it again I realized it reminded me of something familiar, but couldn’t
place just what it was.
Then
it hit me. It was institution of Town
Meeting, used by many communities here in New England. Not all Town Meetings mind you, but quite a
few. Confused? Please allow me to explain.
In
“Weekend at Bernie’s” the owner of a multi-million dollar corporation (Bernie)
dies. Two of his employees are dismayed
by this because they fear they may be blamed and because it changes their
lives. But they soon discover people
keep assuming Bernie is alive, and they can maintain the image Bernie is
operating even though he is not.
They
dress him up, prop him up, and make it appear he is still performing many of
the functions folks are used to seeing.
The business keeps moving, the money keeps flowing, and as far as most
people know – Bernie is still behind it all.
So
what does this have to do with Town Meeting in some communities? Well, I see many similarities between some
legislative town meeting governments and the ill-fated Bernie. They still produce funding, they still make
business happen, but in actuality they are pretty much dead – even if they and
the good people participating in it haven’t realized it yet.
In
small towns of just a few thousand residents, Town Meeting remains a vital,
effective and efficient legislative body.
Citizens gather to discuss and vote on the important issues of the day,
set the town budget, and represent a true cross-section of the community. The institution remains true to its roots and
heritage.
But
in larger towns of around 20,000 or more, Town Meeting is often more like the
aforementioned Bernie. It is visible and
functioning, but more of a rubber stamp than an actual authority. It still attracts some people, still produces
votes and grants authority – but it is a shell of its former self.
In
many communities, Town Meeting attendance is shrinking. People can’t or won’t take the time to
attend. When they do, they want to vote
and leave. In some towns there have been
proposals to allow voting from home, letting people skip the pesky “discussion”
phase.. There are lots of rules limiting
said discussion, including time restraints for speakers. As a result, town budgets totaling $50
million or more are often approved with little or no debate buy folks just
seeing it for the first time.
In
many places the focus is on preserving Town Meeting. It is hailed as the last true form of
democracy, despite the inescapable fact most people don’t want to participate
in it. We try and protect what Town
Meeting used to be, even though it’s not capable of doing the same things
anymore. Just like Bernie.
The
people who run local governments – selectmen and other town officials – are
usually among the biggest defenders of Town Meeting. Like the people who propped up Bernie, they
put Town Meeting through its paces. They
create and perpetuate the illusion that this ancient and honorable legislative
form of government can still be representative in the same way for modern large
towns.
It
is sort of like a cowboy taking his horse and adding four wheels, a roof, and
air conditioning – then claiming he doesn’t need to change to a car. It is more about wistfully cherishing a
memory than acknowledging the reality.
As
a current Town Moderator and a veteran of some 40 years of Open Town Meeting
government, I love and respect the institution.
I grew up with it. My town grew
up with it. It’s hard to think about
letting go – until you realize most folks already have.
When
the people around Bernie finally realized he was gone, they did what people
ultimately do – move on and adapt. They
continued accomplishing the same work, but in a different way. And while some of them mourned Bernie’s
passing, the rest made sure what he started continued on.
Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and
can be emailed at aninsidelook@aol.com and followed on Twitter at
@Billinsidelook.
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