which used to be a real hoot.
They're usually late in March when everyone is keyed up because winter is ALMOST over and it generally turns out to be a vent for cabin fever.
It's the last active form of pure democracy left. Most other places have various city manager type governments.
I started attending as a teenager and was permitted to sit 'behind the bar' because I couldn't vote. Still, it was interesting because the town was in the process of changing from a quaint New England small town into a bedroom community for Boston.
The change in atmosphere between small town and bedroom community cause friction and kept things interesting.
As to be expected anything that looked like it was going to cost money got voted down. It took about three or four years for the fire chief to get a new fire truck back in the 60s and we had an unfinished bridge crossing the river for years until a few smoothies talked the town into it.
At times some of the town characters would speak up with a crackpot idea and provide comic relief. Everybody had a say if they wanted one.
One character knew Robert's Rules of Order inside and out and took it upon himself to make the moderator adhere to them religiously.
"Mister Moderator! Point of order!" he shout and proceed to correct the moderator and get him back on track. Actually it served a purpose because it made the proceedings pretty airtight because everything was kept inside the rules.
My favorite subject was the fire chief getting a new fire engine.
There were a couple of taller buildings going up and it could potentially prove to be useful but old Mort the fire chief really wasn't a good public speaker. Instead of pointing out the fact that the town was changing he said, "If you get a cat stuck in a tree we can come and get it down quickly and in most instances not even have to drive the truck onto your property."
Needless to say, it was voted down.
The following year a couple of people spoke up and gave realistic expectations regarding the potential of the ladder truck to public safety and the new purchase squeaked by, winning by a handful of votes.
That was over 50 years ago and I would not be surprised to find the same truck is still in use today.
As an old man I'd like to sit behind the bar again and see how much things have changed. I'm sure it has because the people are no longer small town folks. I'd probably be disappointed.
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