There is ample research that shows when local newspapers disappear, civic engagement declines and local government suffers. We hope that’s not the case in Harvard. In this townwide issue we have done our best to give readers the information they need to join the conversation and vote at Saturday’s Town Meeting, the second session of Harvard’s 2024 Annual Town Meeting.
Our Guide to Town Meeting is for newcomers to Harvard and first-time attendees who may be unfamiliar with our New England form of town government, where every registered voter has a say in decisions that affect them.
In our Warrant in Plain English, readers will find a succinct description and bit of context for each of the 13 measures voters will be asked to approve. This special section won an award from the New England Newspaper and Press Association two years ago and we’ve worked hard to make it easier to read and reference. Many Town Meeting attendees choose to bring their copy to the meeting.
Three of this year’s articles—Articles 11 and 12, and Article 13—required more explanation, we felt, than could be packed into a 350-word In Plain English entry. You’ll find in-depth analyses of all three inside the paper.
Finally, we’ve included a glossary of municipal terminology to help you navigate the arcane language of the warrant, including a few that are new to this year’s warrant.
Does this kind of reporting actually increase turnout and participation in town government as the research predicts? Set aside a couple hours Saturday to join your neighbors in Cronin Auditorium and help us prove that it does.