Email from Joan Blair

Post date: Jul 31, 2017 7:48:7 PM

Jul 29

Dear Andy,

I see an article in iBerkshires regarding the firming up of State laws on marijuana. A good article, but I’m confused by some of the technicalities. I also am not sure what Williamstown passed in May 2017 article.

I suggest that Jason Hoch (who has a gift for clear writing) put an educational piece re marijuana law on the town website about this subject asap. Voters will need unbiased education and time during the winter season to read about and debate any marijuana warrants - it’s one thing for a Board and Town Manager to develop a warrant article and quite another for voters to have time to study it and possibly form educational group discussions.

The warrant on marijuana that was passed in May 2017, by necessity, rushed some voters to a conclusion that each may (or may not) wish to re-think. The town boards are so steeped in their particular subject matter that they forget that voters don’t follow the topics carefully. The Planning Board now moves both fast and without news coverage of its decisions.

I wish for more iBerkshires coverage of our Boards, and perhaps should write to Tammy about that. Using the town website for a precis would be great. Frankly, Willinet is too detailed/time consuming to expect voters to use it for information. (Note that I think Willinet is fabulous).

This brings me to the subject of a possible Special Town Meeting in the fall. I think that scheduling an extra meeting causes both expense and inconvenience to everybody. There is already a low turn out of the May meetings.

I recommend against holding a Special Town Meeting in the fall of 2017 unless it is absolutely necessary for the schools. If the schools need it, then I recommend that the school question be the single item on the agenda. No other topics, please.

The school item is complicated, particularly since Williamstown/Lanesboro has been addressing regionalization in apparent isolation of the newly released County Task Force sweeping recommendation (something that had never been mentioned earlier as far as I know even though Williamstown residents served on that Task Force).

I understand that the decision of whether or not to hold a Special Town Meeting now resides with the Elementary School Committees - that the high school committee has stepped aside. Again, no news coverage. Please clarify.

If the schools don’t require an extra meeting, then all Town Boards should wait until May 2018, as as always been done.

I hope that the Selectmen will consider the difficulty voters may have following the course of events caused by any special town meeting. It’s nearly August. There is inadequate time to prepare voters for more than one issue. It’s a time situation, not a constraint of the intelligence or interest of any individual voter.

Two meetings in a year dilutes the importance and history of townspeople gathering once a year, in May, to decide Town matters and concerns. It’s a valuable tradition.

No need to reply. Please forward to the members of the Select Board. Thank you.

Sincerely,

…

Joan Dix Blair