Reporter’s Notebook: Ray Mead is no deputy, but he briefly was a news anchor
Where were you when you found out the presidential race was finally over and Joe Biden was officially president-elect?
Some people were watching CNN. Some were checking their Twitter alerts. And about 70 Grafton residents heard it in the most democratic way possible: unexpectedly, from deputy Town Moderator Ray Mead, in the midst of fall Town Meeting, on a high school football field.
Judging by the applause, perhaps Mead may want to turn to journalism (No Ray! Back away! It’s an addiction!) now that his final Town Meeting at the podium, once again, is over.
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Exactly what do you call a retired Town Moderator who is appointed as a deputy to preside at a Town Meeting that had a lead-up far more dramatic than the actual event?
To recap: Town Moderator Dan Concaugh initially planned to hold fall Town Meeting indoors on October 19, but fear of creating a “super-spreader” event in the age of COVID-19 forced a postponement to Saturday, October 31, outside on the Grafton High football field. Concaugh then resigned, leaving Town Meeting in the hands of Town Clerk Kandy Lavallee — but she’s on medical leave (get well soon, girl!), which passed the hot potato to Select Board Chair Peter Carlson.
Carlson happily accepted Mead’s offer to take up the podium again and — hello, snow! A whopping 7.5 inches postponed Town Meeting once more.
November 7 dawned bright and sunny. Mead was appointed deputy town moderator. And Carlson kept calling him… Mr. Deputy Town Moderator.
“Can you just call me moderator?” Mead asked.
“Yes, Mr. Moderator,” Carlson said.
Mead, by the way, gave up a day of his vacation to helm Town Meeting.
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Dressed to Legislate!
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How long did Town Meeting take? An hour and 18 minutes — and that’s even with a few interruptions of the “consent agenda,” which bundled several articles together with the thought that Town Meeting members may not be interested in debating those issues.
That was shot down in the not only the first consent motion, but also the second. Better luck next time?
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So. Is anyone interested in becoming the next town moderator? Anyone?
