The Harvard League of Women* Voters, a strictly nonpartisan group whose mission is to track political issues, has some questions about how well our town government is functioning. Specifically, the League wants to know if the community believes there is a lack of civility on town boards, and, if so, how is it impacting what residents want Harvard to be like?
These are the topics Harvard residents will be invited to discuss at a League forum on Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Center on the Common at 2 p.m. League president Patti Anklam and vice president Sharon McCarthy told the Press that the purpose of the event is “to get a conversation going.” They have reached out to town churches, schools, and individuals in an effort to have broad representation in the discussions. The League, with its goal of providing education and advocacy on political issues, hopes the community will have an open discussion about what it wants from its town leaders and address the implications of the question, “Does Civility Matter?”
Town Hall, a ‘tipping point’
Anklam and McCarthy explained the events that led up to the decision to convene the Nov. 10 forum. According to Anklam, the League has had questions off and on over the past few years about how well government functions in Harvard, with the extended controversies over the Town Hall renovation project as the focus of its concern. Last January, Anklam says, these concerns seem to have “reached a tipping point,” and the League felt compelled to more actively explore how town board members were interacting among themselves and with other boards.
Longtime League member and past president Audrey Ball described the discussion at the League’s Jan. 4 meeting as “focused on what we, LWV, might do to encourage better communication, to encourage working together in a more democratic procedure to reach commonality, [and to explore] what is best for the town.” In summarizing that meeting, Ball said she felt as though the conversations “kept going in circles,” and she suggested a meeting with a professional facilitator to help the League identify the problems, sort out its ideas, and come up with suggestions.
Dysfunction deters candidates and volunteers
Anklam and McCarthy told the Press how, at a special League meeting facilitated by state League co-president Marilyn Peterson of Acton, members voiced their observations about the problems among members of town boards, citing specific examples of bullying, partisan politics, and lack of trust and transparency. It was noted that at the time there were 27 vacancies on town boards and committees and few new faces among their current members. In describing town boards, participants echoed Ball’s earlier observation that “there is sometimes the seeming impossibility of working together; it is therefore hard to get townspeople to run for office.”
In an effort to learn more about how town government works and the causes of dysfunction, McCarthy contacted the McCormick School of Public Policy at UMass Boston. Early last summer McCarthy, Anklam, and League secretary Willie Wickman spent time at the Democracy Lab within McCormick and found the conversations extremely helpful. One of the things they learned is the importance of identifying the cause of a problem on a town board: some dysfunction arises from structural issues and some from behavioral issues. The implication is that it is vital to ensure that boards are structured correctly and that questions of overlap are clarified. They were also made aware of the factors that differentiate elected or appointed boards from volunteer committees.
A safe environment
McCarthy said that the women have continued to work with the people at UMass. However, they realized that it would be pointless to try to “fix” an observed problem; instead, the League needed to go to the community and ask what, if anything, about the functioning of town government concerns town residents. Meantime, the League began raising awareness of the broad concept of “civility” through five different bookmarks, each with a provocative quote, which they distributed at last spring’s Town Meeting. Next, said McCarthy and Anklam, they began to plan for an open discussion, where people would feel “safe” from criticism or intimidation and where all points of view could be heard and respected.
At the forum on Nov. 10, community members will take part in different small-group conversations, sharing views and experiences on what they want Harvard town government to be like. The whole-group summary session will show how well town government is supporting people’s goals and expectations for life in Harvard.
What does Harvard want?
One of the League bookmarks states: “Civil societies come about because people want them to.” The League is asking: What does Harvard want?
The League would appreciate an RSVP to CivilityMatters@LWVharvard.org, but all will be welcome on the day of the event.
* Men have actively participated in the League of Women Voters for many years, but the organization is reluctant to change its recognized and powerful brand.
