The Annual Town Meeting will take place on Saturday, April 6 at noon. Residents and town officials will meet at the Bromfield School’s Cronin Auditorium, with check-in beginning at 11:30 a.m. While this year’s meeting is introducing some new voting technology in the hopes of making the meeting run smoother and faster, veterans of town meetings in the past recommend leaving plenty of time for the new tech tutorial, parking and poll pad registration.
This issue is filled with information regarding the 26 articles the Select Board has put forward for voters to debate and approve. However, a significant change to the process by which attendees will have their voices heard is worth further exploration.
Electronic voting
According to the Harvard branch’s League of Women Voters (LWV) co-president Stephanie Opalka, the Harvard and Bolton leagues recently purchased electronic voting devices from Meridia Interactive Solutions. Each league purchased 500 clickers. Bolton recently borrowed Harvard’s devices for its Town Meeting and will return the favor April 6 by lending theirs to Harvard, making 1,000 devices available to voters.
Clickers will be used for the first time at a Harvard Town Meeting. (Courtesy photo)
The clickers are small devices that fit in the palm of a voter’s hand and provide instantaneous results with a permanent record of the decision. When asked what problem these devices would solve, Opalka said, “When the town counts cards held up in the air, the two counters for each section [of the auditorium] don’t get the same answer and they never get the same number. They have to do it over and over.”
The clickers use a radio frequency to send the voting signal to a receiver monitored by the town moderator, Bill Barton, and a Meridia representative. Barton will set a designated amount of time for people to cast their votes. Once the voting period has closed, the results will display instantly on a large screen for all participants to view. Each voter will receive confirmation that their response was received and counted.
Town Meeting will begin with a tutorial by a Meridia representative who will teach participants how to use the clickers and confirm that all are in working order.
In addition to the clickers, the town will also have two more Poll Pads to help expedite the check-in process, bringing the total to four. However, while technology may assist at the door, getting to Town Meeting is always a challenge.
Opalka recommends showing up early to avoid some time-consuming challenges such as parking. “If you are late, you have to walk a half mile,” she warns. “Plan ahead, get there early. Bring coffee. Buy your baked goods, sit in the auditorium and chill.”
Sweet treats and baby ‘seats’ from the Scouts
Speaking of baked goods, Grade 11 Girl Scout Troop 41003 will be providing such delectable treats as baked goods, savory snacks, coffee, water, and an assortment of other beverages. All refreshments are available for a donation, which will help fund the troop’s upcoming events and trips for this year.
Additionally, Troop 64818 will be offering babysitting services for those voters with children ages 3 and older who are potty-trained and able to communicate their needs. Babysitting will be held in the Bromfield cafeteria from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parents can pre-register by emailing troop64818@gmail.com. Walk-ins are also welcome. The 10th-grade Scouts are all Safe Sitter certified and trained in first aid. They will not charge a fee to ensure that all parents and caregivers can attend Town Meeting. The troop will gratefully accept donations with all funds raised going toward their Take-Action-Project of improving the Bromfield garden.
Check-in
Electronic check-in will follow past Town Meetings, but the lines should move more quickly with the addition of two more Poll Pads. The pads are not connected to the internet, so voters’ personal information is not at risk.
The Poll Pad accepts either a first and last name or a driver’s license barcode for scanning. No information from a scanned license will be retained by the device.
At the check-in table, each registrant will receive a clicker required for voting.
Participation
Anyone who wants to speak at Town Meeting should walk up to the microphone and take a place in line. Speakers should give their names and addresses before beginning their remarks. All comments and questions should be addressed to the moderator and be relevant to the article being discussed at the time. If Moderator Bill Barton cannot directly answer any questions, he will pass them to the appropriate person. At previous Town Meetings, Barton has reminded residents to avoid repeating points that others have already made and to remain civil to fellow residents.
Each article will be debated under a main motion to be decided by a “yes” or “no” vote and can also be amended, deferred, or withdrawn; if an amendment is allowed, it must be submitted in writing to the moderator. Town officials—in particular the moderator and town counsel—are experienced in the rules of Town Meeting and will guide the process accordingly. To learn more about the conduct and procedures for Town Meeting, see the useful summary prepared by the League of Women Voters of Harvard, available at lwvharvard.org/town-meeting-conduct-and-procedures.
What to bring
The Town Meeting warrant booklet containing 26 articles will serve as a guide throughout the meeting, so participants should pick up a copy and any materials on display at the check-in area. The Town Report, for instance, tells residents everything they might want to know about Harvard and the work of its departments and volunteer committees. It is also worth bringing along this week’s issue of the Harvard Press, which provides a summary of each article in “Warrant in Plain English.” Additional stories in the Press also provide insight into some of this year’s more complex articles, especially the budget override and the proposed bylaw for a multifamily overlay district.
Parking
Parking is allowed in the multiple lots surrounding Bromfield and at the library; parking is not allowed in the circle in front of Bromfield.
