In what is quickly becoming a familiar setting, the tents are again in place for Harvard’s third outdoor Town Meeting. (If town meetings were held outside in bygone times, they have long since faded from memory.) Voters and officials will gather for the 2021 Spring Town Meeting this Saturday, May 15. Check-in begins at 11:30 a.m., and the meeting will start at noon.
If you attended last year’s Town Meetings, you have a good idea of what to expect—attendees in masks, a separate tent for those who cannot wear masks for medical reasons, and another tent for couples who have spent the past 14 months together at home and still want to sit side by side for several hours at Town Meeting.
Whether you are stepping outside for the first time since COVID-19 or have been enjoying a renewed social life after vaccination, this is your chance to have your voice heard on issues including the disposition of the Bromfield House, what to do about the old library’s roof, how the fiscal 2022 budget has been balanced, and more. This guide highlights important aspects of the meeting, tells you what to expect, and helps you prepare to be an active participant and voter.
The moderator will be designating four to six volunteers as vote counters in case of a close vote. To volunteer ahead of time, email Town Clerk Marlene Kenney at mken ney@harvard.ma.us.
What to expect
The meeting will be held on the field in front of the library and the Bromfield School. Parking is allowed around the school or library. Handicapped-accessible parking will be available along the sidewalk on the field in front of the library. People with impaired mobility, but who lack handicapped-accessible parking permits, can park near the field on Mass. Ave. Attendees who park in the accessible areas will be seated in the corner closest to check-in. (See map at left.)
The check-in procedure will be similar to that of last year’s Town Meetings. There will be four “gates” along the path that leads from Mass. Ave. to the library, directing attendees to lines based on their street address. Walkways will be separated to keep people a safe distance apart.
At the check-in gate, you will register and receive your voting card and additional materials. For the safety of everyone involved, there will be plexiglass barriers separating you from those checking you in. This is similar to the current setup at Town Hall.
As you enter, be sure to collect a copy of the warrant and any handouts on display, including the 2020 Town Report. Committees have been known to make last-minute changes to a warrant article and to distribute a revised version at the meeting.
Once “inside,” you can take a seat on the lawn. Chairs will be spaced 3 feet apart under the main tent and should not be moved. There will be additional seating in the couples tent where groups of two can sit together and a mask-free tent for those who are unable to wear a face covering because of medical issues. You can also bring your own chair and sit outside the tents as long as you maintain social distancing and are not deterred by the chance of rain Saturday afternoon.
Hand sanitizer will be available.
Participation
As always, Town Meeting is an opportunity for your voice to be heard, and Moderator Victor Normand, who is filling in for the absent Bill Barton, will encourage participation.
To speak, walk to the microphone and stay 6 feet apart from others while waiting in line. If you are in the no-mask tent, stay in your seat, raise your hand, and wait for an official to bring you a microphone. The microphones used in the no-mask tent will be sanitized after each use.
Once you have been recognized by the moderator, state your name and address and speak only to the motion or question before the meeting. All comments should bring up a new point and should not simply reiterate something that has already been said. Address the moderator, not another individual, and keep in mind that a vote ends all discussion on a motion.
To vote, raise your voting card for either yea or nay and keep it raised until the moderator and vote counters have completed their count.
What to bring
Your mask should be high on your Town Meeting checklist. Unless you have a medical condition that does not allow you to wear a face covering, you will not be admitted without one.
The Town Meeting warrant and handouts are your guide to the day’s proceedings. A summary of the warrant articles you’ll be asked to vote on is printed in the warrant booklet from the Finance Committee. The 52-page booklet also includes highlights of the omnibus budget, statements from the Finance Committee and other funding committees, and financial projections. The last page is a volunteer form for those who want to take a more active part in town government.
To be fully informed, you will also want to bring along a copy of this week’s issue of the Harvard Press, or at least the pages that include the “Warrant in Plain English.” Unless, of course, you prefer to take on the brow-furrowing process of translating the legal jargon yourself.
The meeting will begin at noon and will continue straight through without breaks, so you may want to bring a drink or snack. As Moderator Bill Barton said last year, it is OK to remove your mask to take a bite or sip, but it should be replaced as soon as possible.
Transportation
The Harvard Council on Aging will provide rides for anyone who needs transportation to and from the meeting. The COA van will pick up residents at their homes, or they can park at Hildreth House and take a shuttle to the meeting site. Shuttle service will begin around 11 a.m.
To use either the van or shuttle service, the COA asks that rides be scheduled by Thursday, May 13, at 2 p.m. To do so, call the COA at (978) 456-4120.
Van passengers must wear masks. Each van will transport only a limited number of people at a time. Riders will be spaced out on the van and separated from the driver. The van will be sanitized between trips. Those who have symptoms of COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone who does, will not be allowed to ride.
Return services will be provided following the meeting. However, if you want to leave early you can arrange for that as well by speaking with your van driver on the trip there.
Child care
In past years, the League of Women Voters has often organized babysitting for Town Meeting, but that service is currently unavailable. Children will be welcome at the meeting as long as they wear masks and adhere to social distancing standards.
Health and safety
Town Meeting will be a new experience for some, and many may still have concerns about gathering at this time. However, the boards and committee members behind the meeting’s organization will be taking considerable precautions to keep everybody safe. These will include the seating arrangements, plexiglass dividers, sanitation of microphones between speakers, and copious amounts of hand sanitizer. People who attended last year’s Town Meetings reported feeling safe in the outdoor environment, and there were no COVID-19 cases reported as a result of the gathering.
