Our state is one of the last states to hold town meetings. Today was ours.
Until today, I have never missed a town meeting since I've been living here and this is my 7th year. I think they're an essential key in giving voice to the community members. But, today, I decided to work instead of going to our town meeting.
I can't really tell you why I decided not to attend this year. I think it's because last year I took the day off, like I usually do, to attend and there was nothing exciting. Last year, I felt like I wasted one of my vacation days. I took it for granted.
Now, I'm regretting that I didn't go. In fact, it's really eating at me. I should have gone, and here's why:
Less than 500 people live in our town and as if this doesn't sound rural enough the area in which I live is particularly quiet. So much so that the town actually stops plowing the main road at our driveway. During the summer, the road continues past our driveway down a steep hill and about a 1/2mile later you come out on a state highway. In the winter, the town I live in has determined that the steep hill is too dangerous to plow and since there are not a lot of people in this part of the town anyway, it somehow doesn't make it an important issue. Year after year we have put in requests to the town for them to plow through the road. It makes a huge difference for us and our neighbors (who are increasing in number.) When I moved here there were 2 families-us and Eric's parents, now there are 10 families. When the road is open it's a 1/2mile to the state highway versus the approx 5miles we're forced to drive in the winter. Finally, this year, the issue was brought up at the town meeting. It was being voted on whether or not the town should spend the money to "study" opening the road in the winter. The vote ended in an exact tie. If I would have gone this year, my vote would have actually counted. Because the vote was a tie, the issue is null and another year has gone by without progress on opening this road.
This may sound confusing for those of you who are not familiar with the issue but we've been fighting this for years. I can't believe that I actually didn't take the fact that it was coming up at town meeting seriously. It bums me out that I didn't go and vote on this issue. Especially since it would have actually counted.
In other news... I did vote in the primary today. Now that vote, in the big picture of things, probably doesn't count!
This may sound confusing for those of you who are not familiar with the issue but we've been fighting this for years. I can't believe that I actually didn't take the fact that it was coming up at town meeting seriously. It bums me out that I didn't go and vote on this issue. Especially since it would have actually counted.
In other news... I did vote in the primary today. Now that vote, in the big picture of things, probably doesn't count!
2 comments:
You know, you just reminded me of how passionate you have been about attending town meeting. I guess Tues. I just didn't think about it. Don't they have a town pot luck for lunch? Isn't it funny how just one vote can count? By the way, why would anyone vote against just studying the idea? Perhaps people are concerned about the giant increase in traffic going past your house=)
I'm truly not sure why anyone wouldn't let the town study opening it. You're right, it's just a study. But some people in town think this is the way it's been for x number of years and don't feel it needs changing. Others don't want that road opened because it would case increase traffic by their house, therefore, anything supporting the idea, they are not in favor of. Silly!
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