Town Meeting: A form of minority rule

I, like many of the climate activists in town, was disappointed to learn that the solar farm proposal was rejected at Town Meeting. I’m not writing today to relitigate a decision that’s already been made. I know the opponents of the proposal argued effectively for their position, and the proposal did not pass.

That said, I do wonder if it’s time for all of us, as residents of a town we love, to admit that Town Meetings don’t work anymore for issues like this one and many others. That’s true for one simple reason—these meetings are a form of minority rule.

There are approximately 7,100 people living in Harvard when we include Devens and 4,850 registered voters. We had 336 participants at this Town Meeting. That equates to 7% of the population deciding what’s best for all of us. If that’s not a form of minority rule, I don’t know what is.

Some will argue that all are welcome at the meeting, and that’s true. They will argue that people need to show up if they want their voices to be heard. I understand their view and part of me empathizes with it. However, it’s simply not reasonable for many working families to give up a good portion of their Saturday to attend. Many I’ve spoken with would like to participate and, in fact, would, if only there were a less cumbersome and time-consuming process in place.

At the meeting, a majority supported the proposal, but not the two-thirds required for it to pass. 285 votes were cast: 178 in favor and 107 against. However, I don’t believe these numbers truly represent the town’s view. In fact, I would argue that an overwhelming majority of the town would have supported the proposal for two simple reasons: the solar farm is good for the environment, and it will save us a substantial amount of money. Here’s another irrefutable fact of living in Harvard—few of us want unnecessarily higher taxes.

Or stated differently, if the town weren’t run by minority rule, the solar farm would have passed.

There are a couple of ways to address this issue. We could move toward an online voting system, allowing residents to participate from home and ensuring that those with child care needs, mobility issues, or demanding work schedules still have a voice. We could implement voting by mail for warrant articles, much like we do for general elections, to ensure the final tally reflects the broader community’s will rather than just those in the room on a given Saturday. Maybe we could do both.

We have the tools and the talent to modernize our form of democracy so that it truly reflects what we value. To that end, I hope we decide to work together to build a system that empowers every resident, ensures every voice is counted, and creates a future where the town is as forward-thinking as the people it serves.

Rich Marcello
Cove Drive