Another election is over and I was somewhat surprised to learn via the Stoneham Community Facebook Group that some people didn’t know that there had been an election. In further discussion, I discovered that even more people had no idea who the candidates were, nor did they know who the elected officials were. There was a lot of talk about improving communication from the town and many people seemed to think that if there was a good, informal way to meet the elected officials in a relaxed setting possibly outside of town hall, that they would be amendable to attending.
I thought this was a great idea, and coincidentally I had a meeting scheduled with the Stoneham Theatre about having collaborative events with the town. This lead to another thought: I was already planning to host a pre-town meeting designed to take the mystery out of the annual Town Meetings, so I asked the Stoneham Theatre how they felt about having the seminar at the theater, followed by a “meet and greet” in the theater’s gallery. I also thought that this would be a great opportunity for people that have never been to the theater to see how beautiful it is, as well as learn about some programs that they offer in addition to the shows they put on. The theater staff were very enthusiastic about the idea, and we quickly worked out a date that was available before Town Meeting. We then got Stoneham TV involved and within 24 hours we worked out all of the logistics. We had 10 days to execute the plan, but I’m very excited to introduce “Town Meeting 101 / Meet and Greet.”
On Tuesday April 21st at 7:00 p.m. in the Stoneham Theatre, Town Moderator, Larry Means and I will host “Town Meeting 101.” The purpose is to encourage more people to participate in Town Meeting and to help them to understand the various procedures and protocol involved. At this presentation attendees will gain insight into what a warrant article is, the difference between a warrant and a motion, how to amend a motion, and understand the order on which amendments are voted. They will learn how many votes are needed to pass a certain article, what’s debatable, and how to move a question (call for the end of debate and vote). Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions of the panel whose goal it is to break down the mysterious Town Meeting articles and process into plain English, eliminating confusion.
At the conclusion of the Town Meeting 101 panel there will be a very informal “Meet and Greet” starting at approximately 8:00 PM. It will feature various boards and committee members in the gallery of the theatre. This is a great opportunity to learn more about those who represent you in town government and ask questions. There will be representatives from The Bike Path Committee, The Farmers Market, Stoneham Square Action Plan, Board of Selectmen, Open Space Committee, School Committee, Conservation Committee & the Finance and Advisory Board. Stoneham Theatre will also have representatives explaining some of the programs they offer of which you may not be aware.
Every town board and committee will be invited and encouraged to attend, and who knows, you may even find a committee that you would be interested in joining. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet the people who are making decisions for the Town in an informal setting, all while encouraging conversation.
Please find time in your schedule as Stoneham’s Town Meeting is the highest form of government. People should feel welcome and comfortable discussing decisions that will change the direction of their town.
Growing Stoneham 
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