Town Meeting: A survival guide to democracy on the GHS football field
Overview of designated areas at Grafton High for Town Meeting.
Part 1 of two guides to Grafton Town Meeting. The second will focus on the warrant.
There will be a 10×17 Jumbotron on the 50 yard line on the Grafton High School football field Saturday.
People will be allowed to bring in coolers, chairs, tents, and even children. Those preferring more of a tailgating vibe can hang in the parking lot, listening to an FM station on the car radio for just the right moment to rush the field. With entrance bracelets and even misting cooling stations, think if it as a festival, minus the music and floral crowds but with plenty of local politics.
Grafton’s delayed spring Town Meeting on Saturday, June 20 will be like no other in town history, and Town Moderator Ray Mead, laying out the details before Select Board and Finance Committee Thursday night, appeared to be relishing the challenge of what will be his final moment at the podium.
“This has been the most planned out Town Meeting that we’ve ever hand and hopefully will ever have,” said Mead, who is not seeking re-election as he closes out his 20-plus year stint.
The two biggest challenges: the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and the need to protect participants from the heat.
If you can’t stand the heat…
The forecast for Saturday is 88 degrees, partly cloudy, with 53 percent humidity. For those on the field, heat will also be rising from the artificial turf as the day heats up.
This is why Town Meeting is set for 9 a.m. Mead hopes it will be over in about two and a half hours — “but I’ve been wrong many times.”
While the meeting itself will open at that time, voters will have the opportunity to register beginning at 7:30 a.m. on the basketball court at Grafton High. Once registered, they will receive a bracelet that will allow them to leave and come back to the meeting without re-registering.
As an antidote to the heat, three water mist cooling stations will be set up on the field. EMTs will be stationed at the field, along with members of Grafton’s Medical Reserves Corp.
Attendees may bring in water, chairs, umbrellas, and tents to screen themselves from the sun, although they may be directed to an area off field to protect the artificial turf. Sunscreen and hats are also recommended.
“It’s fine with me, as long as we have room to do it,” Mead said.
Voters with accessibility needs or who cannot stay out in the heat for medical reasons will be directed to the gymnasium.
Since the pandemic — the reason for the delayed Town Meeting — has not vanished, no one will be admitted without a mask. A person arriving without a mask will be provided with one.
“Face masks are absolutely required and you will be asked to leave if you do not wear them, unless you have a medical condition,” Mead said
But what about voting?
About 90 percent of the meeting will likely be done by hand count or a standing vote. Especially controversial items, like the Grafton Community Park (also known as Super Park) and the proposed increase in marijuana licenses, may be subject to a secret ballot vote if requested.
The two areas for voting are the gym, which holds 178 people in chairs six feet apart. The football field will have 500 chairs spaced six feet apart but can hold up to 980 with additional seating plus the bleachers.
Mead is responsible for the field count and David Robbins, his frequent deputy moderator, will do the count in the gym. In addition, moderator candidate Bruce Spinney will be on the field assisting Mead and moderator candidate Dan Concaugh will be in the gym assisting Robbins.
Select Board Chair Jennifer Thomas asked if the moderator candidates would rotate during the meeting, suggesting that Spinney will get more exposure the on-field candidate prior to Tuesday’s election. Mead refused.
“Nope. I’m not being political,” he said.
Another issue: many people may opt to listen in on the Town Meeting from the comfort of their air conditioned cars. Mead cautioned that the chances of someone in a car running onto the field in time for a vote are slim since the meeting tends to be fast-paced. If the voters keep track of the warrant articles and know which ones they feel strongly about, they should be wearing their registration bracelet and head out to the field well in advance.
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