At their July 14 meeting, on the recommendation of Town Administrator Tim Bragan, the selectmen voted to return Annual Town Meeting in 2016 to back-to-back weeknights—Tuesday, April 5, and Wednesday, April 6—in Cronin Auditorium. All four selectmen present voted “aye.”
Turnout at Annual Town Meeting has been declining steadily since 2007, when attendance peaked at 572. This year’s ATM on Saturday, March 28, drew 270 registered voters, 21 percent fewer than the 341 who attended the first night, Monday, April 1, of the 2014 Annual Town Meeting. Attendance dropped to 267 the second night.
Selectman Ken Swanton wondered if Bragan had considered a Monday for the first night of the meeting, given the “amazing” turnout for the June 8 Super Town Meeting in the Hildreth Elementary School cafetorium to vote on four Devens zoning articles. More than 200 attended that Monday night meeting in spite of a competing school concert that evening in Cronin Auditorium.
Bragan said he had checked with “a number of individuals involved” who preferred the Tuesday and Wednesday dates.
Town Election will be held the Tuesday after Town Meeting, April 12.
