Alexis de Tocqueville, you will find many references to his observations on the New England Town  Meeting.He marveled at  the coming together to make  mutual decisions.

It’s a work session.

The tone of Political and Tea Partyesque meetings which unfortunately are called Town Meetings may be keeping citizens away from the real thing. Very little is accomplished at those meetings , it’s all bombast.

Or maybe it’s the location of the bathrooms?.

From 930 AD to 1799 the  folks in Iceland would meet here on the plains of Thingvellir. The rocks  provided some shelter, the horses could be  easily corralled, you could get out of the wind. The meeting was called Althing.

Bryce following Doozie through the cleft in February 2009

It was proposed this year to hold the Deliberative Session at the New High School instead of  Town Hall. We should begin calling it the High School, I so decree.  The offer was made by the School and it was accepted at the last Selectmen’s Meeting. The next day  someone sent a memo( the dreaded memo) to every Board in Town and then  everyone weighed in with an opinion. I will tell you right now I have no hard opinion.

Cons

“It’s way over in Epping”

“I usually do all my Christmas Shopping and  buy a huge gourmet  lunch  downtown while attending the meeting”

“I need to be able to rip off a fast butt and get back in the fray quick”

“I’ll look stupid wearing a fur coat  in the Hanson Theater”

“I will miss the dramatic long walk to the  microphone”

“My poor dog will be doing a pee pee dance!”

Pros

Plenty  of parking

Our Downtown  that day  has more room for shoppers.

Convenient bathrooms

Quality sound system

Comfortable  seats

Heat

Light

The  opportunity  for various booster clubs to provide refreshments and  make a little dough.

Child Care? Could this be worked out at such a facility?

Every year Charlie Tucker our Moderator asks  for a show of hands during the Deliberative  Session.The pure citizen, please raise your hand. No  Board Members nor a employee of the Town. Pure. I think the number has always hovered just below 50, often much lower. Perhaps a change in venue would stir more to attend? We really need to be willing to put aside custom now and then. It’s considered one  of the major  impediments to change, the World over.

Arthur L. Hanson III Center for the Performing Arts

Mike