Select Board Meeting 2007-09-10

Note to self: do not criticize colleagues as preface to a motion, no matter how innocuous the motion, if you expect a second rather than dead silence.

Yes, I knew that already. Yes, this Select Board is not motion-driven; we talk about agenda items and often no vote at all is taken, unlike some bodies that can't even discuss an item until a motion has been made (e.g., Town Meeting). If anything, the tradition at Select Board seems to be "don't make a motion til you're sure how the vote is going to go, and then someone who is voting with you -- or who is just tired of the discussion -- may second it."

There's something to be said for less formal rules. It's one reason so many people love Amherst, for one. Still, sometimes rules simplify things and take the "charge" out of a situation. That's why we're working on a two or three page "guide for people walking in the door to the Select Board meeting" -- so people know what to expect. "Transparency" is turning into a loaded word around local politics; it used to be my favorite theme, until I realized it was being used in the sense of, "if I don't like the outcome, it must not have been a transparent process."

Governor Deval Patrick at Amherst College

Saw Governor Deval Patrick speak at Amherst College as the keynote for the grand opening of their Center for Community Engagement yesterday. You can check out their official footage here.

Governor Patrick gave a great speech and then opened the floor to questions. He was inspiring, as always (how many Western Massachusetts folks could say they'd seen previous Governors speak four times in Western Massachusetts before they were a year into their term?!?). He also emphasized something a friend mentioned recently when we were bemoaning the state of Amherst's political scene: we need to get rid of cynicism in politics. That's a huge order, and while I can totally agree in the overall sense, it's incredibly hard to put into practice day after day (email after email, meeting after meeting...).

Leaving the Johnson Chapel, ran into several folks who agreed that it was terrific to be able to applaud sincerely for both the Governor and for Amherst College President Tony Marx. They are both good men. Not something I get to say often enough in everyday life.

Lincoln Avenue Speed Cushions

Select Board Meeting of Monday September 10, 2007 will include the soon-to-be-infamous Lincoln Avenue Speed Cushions.

ACTV usually provides live coverage on Channel 17 if you don't make it to the Town Room in Town Hall.