Here is some important information about the Walpole Special Town meeting to be held on Monday, March 10, 2008.

Due to the intense interest in the subject matter of the Special Town Meeting, we are expecting a large turnout on Monday night. Some people may be unfamiliar with Town Meeting procedures in general, and a Town Meeting at Johnson has its own set of peculiarities. Town Meeting was held at Johnson Middle School until 2003. We are back there for this Town Meeting because the Walpole High School play had been scheduled for the same night. As usual, thanks to Walpole Cable Television, the meeting will be televised.

Preliminarily, first let me start off by saying that, as the Town Moderator, I express no opinion on any of the three articles before Town Meeting. The Moderator must be an impartial official, who by statute, presides and regulates the proceedings, deciding all questions of order, and making public all votes. I sometimes analogize my role as that of umpire or referee. I have no interest in the outcome of the game, only that the game is played fairly and by the rules. I have no vote that would influence the outcome of any particular article. My objective by posting this announcement is to ensure that Town Meeting runs as smoothly and fairly as possible. Again, nothing herein is to be construed as a position one way or the other on any of the articles.


I do feel it is important for me to try to clear up some misconceptions that have recently come to my attention. This town meeting is about the Town’s zoning by-laws, and not about the Competitive Power Ventures power plant proposal per se. It is not a referendum on the CPV proposal, and it is not, as some citizens have wondered, a vote by Town meeting to approve or not approve the CPV proposal. While it might become germane during our debate on Article 2 to discuss power plants in general, this particular project is not the focus of this Town Meeting. I have been asked whether CPV was going to give a presentation to Town Meeting. I can assure you they are not. And to keep the debate on track, no placards, signs, balloons, posters, etc., either in favor of or against CPV, will be allowed inside the Johnson Auditorium or the cafeteria. Written material for display or to be handed out is allowed inside the building, as discussed below.


Normally at Town Meeting, I just announce the procedural rules at the beginning of the meeting. Town Meeting members are very familiar with these rules. For this meeting, since we expect some people who may be unfamiliar to the rules of Town Meeting, I wanted to summarize some of the rules for you.

Civility

I introduce the meeting by stating that we should treasure this form of government, because through open deliberation, we can achieve the best decisions for the Town of Walpole. We may see some spirited debate over a number of issues on Monday evening. Please let me be clear: I require the debate to remain on the issues, and respectful at all times. You have elected me to run Town Meeting with proper decorum, and I intend to do so.

Seating

Please note that RTM members, town officials, member of town boards or committees, should sit in the front portion of the Johnson Auditorium. There is an aisle that creates this natural break. All other visitors must please sit on the other side of the break, toward the rear of the Auditorium. This line of demarcation is done to ensure accurate voting.

Due to the expected crowds, Town Clerk Ron Fucile, WCTV, school officials, and the Building Department have made arrangements to accommodate overflow attendance by having the Johnson Cafeteria rigged for sound and with two TVs. The Walpole Fire Department will be on hand to monitor safe room capacity. If the Auditorium seating if full when you arrive, there will be ample seating in the Cafeteria.

Speaking and Use of Written Materials

At Walpole Town Meetings, we follow a set format for speakers, in order of priority, as follows:
1. Primary spokesperson for or against the motion
2. FINCOM spokesperson
3. Town Officials with relevance to the motion
4. RTM Members
5. Walpole citizens: must identify themselves and their address. Initially have 5 minutes, which can be enlarged by Town Meeting vote

For non-residents attendees, the practice Town Meeting has followed in the past, and we will use Monday night is this. I will accept a motion from an RTM and second to allow the non-resident to speak. The speaker may address Town Meeting if a simple majority of RTM members agree. The speaker is initially limited to 5 minutes. Town Meeting may vote to extend the time. If you are a non-resident who wishes to speak, or know of someone who wishes to speak, please see me no later than 7:15 p.m. on Monday night.

When you are recognized to speak, please wait for a microphone. We have student volunteers from the WHS National Honor Society, called runners, who will bring the microphone to you. You must address all questions, and comments through the Moderator.

For any speaker, if you use facts and figures when speaking, please reference your source. If the source is a document, please have copies available to the members. These copies should be place on tables outside the auditorium where RTMs check in.

Town Meeting Rule 13 states as follows: "Any written information distributed, inside the building, to Town Meeting Representatives must be identifiable as to the responsible individual. In the case of a committee or citizen group, written information, distributed inside the building, must include the name of the Chairman or authorized representative of said group."

Tellers

Our first form of taking a vote is by voice vote. If I can't tell which side prevails by the 'loudness' if you will, I call for a standing vote. That's where the Tellers come in. There are two tellers assigned to each of the three main section of the auditorium. I ask for the six Tellers’ votes first. Then, I ask all those RTMs voting ‘yes’ to stand. The two tellers for each section count the standing people. They compare to come up with an agreed number. Then I have the people sit, and ask those voting ‘no’ to stand. The Tellers count those, and between the two, come up with an agreed number. Then I ask the Tellers to report the yes's and no's. The Town Clerk and I tally up the Tellers’ yes and no votes with the votes the Tellers have reported, and determine whether the vote has passed or not.

There are many more nuances of our rules too numerous to mention here. These are the most important for Monday night. Walpole’s full set of Town Meeting Rules can be found on the Town of Walpole website on the Town Clerk’s page. The direct link to the Rules is http://th.walpole.ma.us/TMrules.pdf

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me in any of the following ways:

Home phone (508) 668-4073
Cell (508) 468-5771
Home email: jon.rockwood@verizon.net

Monday, I can be reached at work:

Work email: jrockwood@gelermanbuschmann.com
Work phone: (781) 769-6900
Cell (508) 468-5771

Thank you very much for your attention and I look forward to seeing you Monday night.

Jon Rockwood, Moderator