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Select Board hears town meeting study committee survey results preview; clickers favored in survey
Summary
The board heard updates from the town meeting study committee and survey results showing strong interest in using "clickers" at Town Meeting (86% support reported); the study committee will present recommendations next month and the board amended the town meeting calendar to avoid Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Members of the Town Meeting Study Committee updated the Select Board on outreach activity and survey results, telling the board they received more than 1,000 responses to a town meeting survey and plan to present recommendations in December.
A Select Board member reported that the survey shows high support for in-room voting devices ("clickers"): "86% of people want clickers," the member said. Another resident speaker had earlier urged the Select Board to invite Meridian, a vendor, to demonstrate clicker hardware and discuss costs and mechanics.
The Select Board also discussed the structure and purpose of a traditional town-meeting "overview" session and whether it should be rescheduled or replaced by focused education for prospective warrant petitioners. After discussion, the board voted to amend the 2025 town meeting calendar to move the warrant opening date off Martin Luther King Jr. Day; the amended calendar was approved by roll call vote.
Staff and the committee said the survey data will be used to craft recommendations on how to update the town meeting experience and which reforms may require state changes (for example, remote voting) versus local procedural tweaks. The committee will present its recommendations next month.
