The Importance of Attending a Town Meeting

submitted by Ken Picard

Upton has an open town meeting form of government which means all registered voters can attend and vote on how the town will spend money that is raised from taxes and other actions the town will take moving forward.  The Town Meeting has the potential to greatly impact the operations of town government and all its departments.  Town Meeting voters have influence on three major impacts to town government.

1. Town Meeting can request an investigation of town operations with a standing committee or with a special “ad hoc” committee.
2. Town Meeting can also, within certain limits, reorganize town departments and control development within the town.
3. Probably the most influential power of Town Meeting is the power of expenditure. This is where the voters authorize town government to spend money.

The Upton Annual Town Meeting was convened on Thursday, May 7^th and was continued to Thursday, June 4^th.  During the May 7^th session, the Town Meeting voters acted on a number of warrant articles.  These articles of business were either approved or not approved by the voters attending the meeting.  One of the voted articles of business was the request to raise taxes and appropriate the additional funding above the 2.5 % tax limit for the specific purpose of providing additional funding for the Mendon Upton Regional School District budget contingent on a ballot question.  Since the ballot question passed on May 18^th, the Town has agreed to raise its taxes to pay for additional funding for the Regional School District expenses.

Since the Town was unsure of the outcome of the ballot vote, all the articles of the May 4^th Town meeting associated with spending money were held to a date certain.  These expenditure articles will be voted on at the upcoming Thursday, June 4^th Town Meeting.  In other words the Town Meeting has not voted on what amount of money it is willing to spend to operate town government and its associated services as of this date.

So if you are in favor of spending the additional money on our children’s education you should be present at the Town Meeting on Thursday, June 4^th and vote in favor of the recommended budgeted amount.  The proponents of increasing the funding to the Regional School District need to get over three hurdles. They have gotten over two hurdles so far. The third hurdle is an affirmative vote of the Regional School District’s overall budget at the upcoming town meeting.  It is much easier to stop forward motion than it is to keep moving forward.  Success is dependent on effort.