Friday, December 7, 2012
Preserving the Planet for Posterity
In one of his short stories, writer Spider Robinson, known for his Callahan’s Bar science-fiction stories, has a character make an observation about our connection to our family. “Everybody's got roots in the past,” Robinson's character notes, “but they's all got roots in the future, too.” I thought about Robinson’s observation last month during Brookline Town Meeting. I’ve been an elected member of Town Meeting for over a decade. Most of what we do is relatively straightforward. For example, we pass the budget every May, after the Selectmen, Advisory Committee, and town departments have spent months planning it out for us to consider. After all, when you get right down to it, governing is mostly about figuring out where you will get money…
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Town Meeting discusses two articles proposed by high schoolers, and brings back the question of Brookline's place in Norfolk County.
Town Meeting returned to the remaining 30 warrant articles, and beginning the evening with articles 12 and 23, proposed by Brookline High School students. Brookline also voted to get itself out of Norfolk County, but will not move to abolish the county government. Town meeting is now over until the fall Special Town Meeting.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Article 27, regarding slavery in the past, and nine other articles discussed by Brookline Town Meeting.
Town Meeting returned to the remaining 30 warrant articles, and began the evening discussing article 27, which acknowledges Brookline's slave-owning past. Annual Town Meeting continues Tuesday Night at 7 p.m., again at the Brookline High School Auditorium. Articles 12 and 28 will be the first aritcles discussed, to accomodate the high school petitioners' schedules.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The first nine Warrant Articles at Town Meeting discussed by the Town Meeting Members. Town Meeting continues on Thursday night.
Town Meeting covered the first nine of 30 warrant articles, including the fiscal 2013 budget article. The Budget includes a $15,000 appropriation by the Library Trustees to remain open in the summer, an increase of $8,000 from the plan originally voted by the selectmen. Annual Town Meeting continues Thursday Night at 7 p.m., also at the Brookline High School Auditorium, where many of the remaining warrant articles will be discussed and voted. [Update: The Town Meeting Results PDF from the Brookline Town Website is available for viewing on the right. 12:18p.m.]
Town Meeting votes to give Brookline Library $15,000 to keep the place open on Sundays throughout the summer, up from $7,000 needed to keep it open through July.
[Clarification: The Library Trustees currently plan to have the Coolidge Corner Branch Library open through July. They will debate and vote on staying open in August at an upcoming meeting. 9:21 a.m.] Brookline Libraries are hoping to help patrons beat the heat by staying open all summer, and Town Meeting is cool with that. At the opening evening of Town Meeting, May 22, after about an hour of discussion the Library trustees were given an extra $8,000 over what the Selectmen voted in April. The Selectmen's amendment, which would give them only $7,000 to open for the month of July was voted down, 49 to 170, with two abstaining. This means the Library's original request for $15,000 was approved when the full fiscal 2013 budget passed …
Janna Silverstein
9:25 am on Friday, December 7, 2012
Here in Seattle, we've banned the use of plastic bags altogether, and it's been a great change. The use of fabric totebags has gone up--everyone uses them now, and the reduction of waste is noticeable and beneficial. I commend you for endorsing this kind of action locally where you are, and hope the town takes it up as willingly and enthusiastically as Seattle has. It's a good thing. more ›