What’s the Big Idea?

Sox reign delays special Town Meeting

Posted on October 26, 2007 by Stuart Green
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Did you watch the Sox Monday night? Apparently a lot of folks in Whitman did.
The Whitman special Town Meeting had to be postponed until next month because it fell 53 votes shy of a quorum.
Maybe not that surprising. Hey, would you rather watch Manny or money, budgets or bunting, throwing a curver or, well, throwing a curve?
But this isn’t about voter apathy, the Sox or even necessarily about Whitman. Talking about Town Meeting quorums is a lot like watching paint dry. It’s not the slightest bit interesting - unless it doesn’t go well.
In some area towns, they’ve taken the guesswork and the waiting game out of quorums. In Norton, for instance, if only one person shows up at Town Meeting, that constitutes a quorum. I don’t think it’s a great idea, but it keeps the government rolling along without an interruption. And it makes clean-up afterwards a snap.
Tell it to the folks in Whitman, who now must wait until Nov. 5 to conduct business.
By that time, the Sox will have wrapped up its own business.
So, do you wait long for Town Meeting members do get there? Do voters come out willingly or is there a certain amount of pleading involved? Do we need incentives - maybe large-screen TVs with certain sporting events in the background? OK, foreground, then?
So… what’s the big idea?