In a highly contested vote Tuesday, Amherst residents will decide whether to form a commission to study its town charter. The decision could lead to the end of Town Meeting.
Amherst’s 240 elected Town Meeting members gather twice per year, while most towns have one session.
Meetings can go on for hours stretched over many days.
Town Meeting member Stephen Schreiber argues that this form of government just isn’t conducive to a town of Amherst’s size.
“Open Town Meeting is fine in towns that are small enough to operate that way,” says Schreiber. “In towns that have representative Town Meeting, it becomes a questionable form of government — sort of a snapshot of some of the town but not a very accurate snapshot.”
Yet, many seek to maintain New England’s traditional form of democracy. Opponents of change argue ordinary citizens’ involvement could be severely limited. The group Town Meeting Works is urging Amherst residents to vote “no” on even creating a commission to study the town charter.