To the editor:
The spring circus, otherwise known as Natick’s 2023 Spring Annual Town Meeting, has left Town. I hope everyone had a good seat because, hopefully, there won’t be another outrageous act quite like this one. If only some of the members showed as much consideration and respect for all speakers as our Moderator did, I probably wouldn’t feel quite so badly.
I have been a Town Meeting member for over 20 years. Never before have I been so embarrassed over the proceedings at a Town Meeting. Not to say there haven’t been some contentious issues, but the members listened with respect to fellow members as well as the residents and taxpayers in the audience. They didn’t smack their lips, or shake their heads, or bellow out loud a comment, or kibitz back and forth, or even throw their hands in the air when they heard something with which they didn’t agree. And of course, there are some members whose only goal is to grab their 5 or 10 minutes on TV. I have observed this by watching numerous broadcasts.
I don’t know where it’s all going to end. Degrees of discouragement are the main reasons why people abandon something. I truly hope that there are enough members whose only agenda is to enjoy and help support the great Town of Natick.
Jerry L. Pierce
Town Meeting Member, Precinct 10
