Town officials and residents will begin public discussions about how Town Meeting is conducted and how might be improved at a two-session kick-off forum on Monday, Sept. 16 with a virtual morning session at 8 a.m. and an in-person evening session at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln School’s Learning Commons.
The call to reexamine the town’s collective decision-making process arose after the March 2024 Town Meeting where an unexpected amendment to the proposed Housing Choice Act was made on the floor. Controversy swirled over who was allowed to address the audience, and when and where they could speak. There have also been voting confusion and delays at recent Town Meetings.
At the September forum, residents will be invited to share thoughts about the processes leading up to Town Meeting and the protocols of the meeting itself. “Feedback from these sessions will help us identify what is working well, what needs improvement, and the key issues that our soon-to-be appointed Town Meeting Study Committee (TMSC) should consider,” Select Board and Town Moderator Sarah Cannon Holden wrote in a postcard mailed to Lincoln households. “This work will be conducted with respect for the tradition and norms that have served Lincoln well since the first Town Meeting in April 1754, a commitment to equity, and with recognition that Town Meeting should continue to adapt to the needs and desires of Lincoln’s current residents.”
The town has launched a TMSC web page that thus far includes links to existing town rules, materials from the Massachusetts Moderator’s Association, studies by other towns, and a 2009 report in Lincoln town governance.
Those unable to attend either session on September 16 may email comments to TMSC@lincolntown.org.
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