Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Residents and town officials clash over tone and facts after town meeting; disability advocates call out ableist language
Summary
Public comments at the May 20 Select Board meeting extended concerns raised at town meeting over Maple Square development, zoning and group homes. Disability advocates called one town meeting remark ableist and xenophobic; other residents urged civil discourse and practical responses such as a welcome program and zoning review.
Speakers at the May 20 Town of Danvers Select Board meeting pressed local leaders to address both policy questions about housing development and what several described as harmful rhetoric in public forums.
Amy Velasquez, a town meeting member and member of the Accessibility Commission, said remarks made by another town meeting speaker the previous evening amounted to “ableist and xenophobic rhetoric.” Velasquez said the comments framed people moving into town — including residents of group homes and other supported housing — as “bad people” and “a threat” and warned the rhetoric could harm disabled residents and the community’s ability to welcome newcomers. “I stood before this board just a few months ago after the assault perpetrated by…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
