To the editor:
Tom Peach addresses the re-vote of Article 36 and points to the Town Moderator Jack Attridge’s malfeasance. Meanwhile, the editors of that other paper defend Mr. Attridge and Eric Reins of Green Street references Robert’s Rules of Order in his letter to that same paper. Readers may find the following background and inside information on the events of last month helpful.
Massachusetts Town Meetings are governed by a book with the storybook title “Town Meeting Time: A Handbook of Parliamentary Law” — not Robert’s Rules of Order. “Town Meeting Time” addresses at length the subject of reconsideration in Chp. 5 §32. The authors note some town bylaws allow the moderator to allow reconsideration by anyone who prevailed on the first vote. In one of its more colorful passages, they note that “a few lionhearted moderators may look the mover in the eye, inquire how he voted, and compel a truthful answer. This is a courageous course to take, but it involves some risk that the mover will stare right back and brazenly and untruthfully assert that he voted on the prevailing side previously.”
Moses Grader did exactly that after Town Meeting in 2023 voted almost unanimously to approve the Traffic Committee bylaw, which I sponsored. Mr. Attridge, apparently less than lionhearted, entertained the motion. Fortunately, that vote was by a show of hands and the chairwoman of the School Committee had seen Mr. Grader’s hand go up for the losing side. She knew the rules, made a point of order, and the matter was settled in that case.
I like things to work properly, so for 2024 I presented Mr. Attridge with an amendment to Marblehead’s bylaws governing Town Meeting. Copying the language of other towns, my amendments removed the prevailing side requirement and significantly raised the bar for when such a motion can be considered. Having admitted his freshman-year error, I had thought he would endorse the proposal. Instead, he recommended that I withdraw my article. I dropped the matter.
But, after witnessing the moderator’s reckless disregard for parliamentary procedure around Article 36, regarding MBTA zoning, I tried to revive it from the floor. Again, Mr. Attridge objected. Frankly, I was too exhausted to continue the fight.
What Mr. Peach, John DiPiano, Mary McCarriston, taxpayers challenging the assessment process, parents trying to get action on schools issues, property owners faced with the town’s illegal demand for an easement, and others have experienced has been on full display around Article 36, the most consequential bylaw change in Marblehead’s history.
Raise reasonable questions and officialdom labels you a “lunatic” and a purveyor of “misinformation;” they use “small words” because zoning and tax assessments are too complicated for you to understand. Perhaps Mr. Peach, with his mic drop and speed-bump vandalism, is on the right track. At least he got the Traffic Committee I created to put Peach Highlands Road on its agenda, which is more than I’ve been able to do.
Dan Albert
Marblehead
