Originally published May 16th 2024
“The purest form of democratic governing is practiced in a Town Meeting. In use for over 300 years and still today, it has proven to be a valuable means for many Massachusetts taxpayers to voice their opinions and directly affect change in their communities. Here in this ancient American assembly, you can make your voice heard as you and your neighbors decide the course of the government closest to you.”
— William Galvin, secretary of the commonwealth
We purchased our home in Salisbury in 2003. As a young couple, our early focus was to work hard to afford our nearly $300,000 house in this “honky tonk” beach town. For the most part, the people were friendly. My wife, Nina and I, having grown up and lived mostly in cities, found the shift to small-town life on a quiet cul-de-sac an intriguing change.
Gone were the abrupt wake-ups from sirens, the obnoxious roars of motorcycles, and the loud thumping music from ratty cars. I must admit, adjusting to the quiet was challenging. At night, the eerie calls of owls in our woods, the distant barks and howls of coyotes, and the haunting screams of fisher cats would occasionally startle us awake. Yet, instead of the noise of the machine of urban life it’s the cheerful chirping of birds that now wakes us in the mornings.
Living in Salisbury presents a stark contrast to the bustling, multicultural diversity of Lynn, where Nina is from, and Manchester, New Hampshire’s largest city, which I used to consider my hometown.
After settling in, we became quite friendly with our neighbors, we were the young couple on Bayberry Lane (that changed quickly). We had three children, before our son, Max was born here in 2008. Initially, we were content to keep our heads down and focus on our work, paying little attention to those around us or the workings of our government. However, our perspective shifted after an unpleasant and unjust encounter with a town official.
Subsequently, we were employed by our neighbor Stacie Warcewicz to contest an unfair ruling that threatened the tranquility of our peaceful cul-de-sac. This involvement led to us being drawn into local progress when the annual efforts to extend sewer services to the Lafayette corridor finally succeeded.
Engagements such as the dissolution of the liquor commission, the opening of marijuana dispensaries, the vote to install bathrooms at the beach, and the approvals for a new library, police station, and town budgets became regular events that Stacie enlisted us to attend. Mark, Stacie’s husband thoroughly educated us on the importance of these processes and our role in them.
Town Meetings are designed to do three things, it sets the salaries for the elected officials, votes to appropriate money to run the town, and votes on the town’s local statutes, which are called bylaws. Every town organizes its own town meeting according to its bylaws or charter.
In Salisbury, we operate under an open Town Meeting system, where every voter can vote on town matters, unlike in cities where city councilors and aldermen vote based on their constituents’ needs. Other towns use a representative Town Meeting, where elected members vote on behalf of the citizens. Towns with fewer than 6,000 inhabitants are required to have an open Town Meeting, while those with more than 6,000 can choose to have a representative Town Meeting.
Each town must hold at least one annual Town Meeting; Salisbury holds two: the first on the third Monday of May, and the second on the fourth Monday in October. Budget items require a simple majority, but bylaw additions, and changes require a two-thirds of the votes of a minimum of 125 voters for a quorum. Every three years in Salisbury, we elect a town moderator, whose responsibilities include running the Town Meeting. Additionally, our charter assigns the town moderator other duties, such as appointing the charter review committee, the warrant advisory committee, and the parks and recreation commission.
Leading up to an annual or special town meeting, a warrant is ordered posted as a warning or notice by the Board of Selectmen at least seven days before the annual meeting, or 14 days before a special town meeting, it is also an agenda of the articles to be voted on. Those articles are prepared by the Town Manager for a town vote.
Voters and interested parties begin to fill the chairs in the Salisbury Elementary School cafeteria just before 7 p.m. Upon checking in, each person receives a small square of colored paper to use as their voting identification. Attendees can also pick up a copy of the warrant, which details each article up for discussion. Typically, there’s a hot topic each year that draws a significant crowd.
The largest turnout I’ve witnessed was for the vote on expanding the sewer system in the Lafayette corridor. Although that vote initially failed, a method of divide and conquer eventually won approval. Issues like resident parking and capital improvements such as beach bathrooms, a new library, and a police station also attract large crowds.
This year’s big article will be No. 15 which is the MBTA communities multifamily overlay district (MCMOD). Which is going to be presented as a strong arm mandate from the state to build high density multifamily housing in Salisbury. The goal from the state is to get 177 communities to create that zoning. So far not all communities have complied with the mandate. The shakedown from the state is to comply or lose grants. Milton has also been sued for failing to adopt MCMOD.
During the meeting, the Town Clerk organizes the voters, and takes notice of the votes, and SCTV facilitates communication. The Warrant Advisory Committee is situated to the left of the stage with a microphone available for the chair to announce the committee’s stance on the articles either in favor or not. A similar setup is on the right side for the Board of Selectmen. A microphone is also provided for attendees to ask questions or express concerns.
There is a long history of legendary residents who take to the mic, Chuck Colburn, the feisty selectman Mike Colburn’s father always had an interesting take. I always look forward to the unique concerns of Mr. Makarewicz from Cable Avenue. The job as the moderator is not an easy one. If you are not prepared, the parade of voices can leave one’s head spinning.
On stage, the town moderator manages the meeting, striving to answer questions and maintain order. The town manager, alongside town counsel, explains the details of each article and tackles sometimes challenging inquiries. The town manager plays a crucial role in providing sufficient information to ensure the passage of articles, particularly budget-related ones. Most articles are by petition of the town manager however not every year, but occasionally, residents petition an article for the town to pass, typically concerning bylaw changes.
Over the past three meetings, citizens have successfully passed their own articles: Lynn Welch secured a bylaw amendment to transfer appointing rights for the Zoning Board of Appeals from the town manager to the Board of Selectmen, Cheryl Papandrea achieved a zoning change in her neighborhood to prevent more high-density building on Old County Road, and Stacie Warcewicz managed to arrange zoning for ground-mounted solar panels.
The entertainment value of attending the town meeting is well worth it, but the true benefit lies in participating in a historic New England process. More importantly, it’s an opportunity to learn exactly what’s happening in your town, understand where your tax money is going, and see firsthand how your community is changing. The best part is that you have a voice to express your concerns, and sometimes, just one voice can sway the majority. You also have a vote, a vital tool in shaping the future of Salisbury.
If you’ve never attended a town meeting, I encourage you to join us on May 20th, at 7 p.m. at Salisbury Elementary School, 100 Lafayette Rd, Salisbury. You can find a copy of the warrant on the Salisbury municipal website at salisburyma.gov.
Salisbury resident C.J. Fitzwater is a curious traveler, perpetually on the lookout for fresh frontiers. With each journey, he blends historical threads into his stories. Email him at: cfitzwater@ymail.com.
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