I write this letter not as a representative of the town of Conway, or any other individual or group, but as a long term resident who loves the town of Conway and as a promoter of our most pure form of democracy, our annual Town Meeting.
After two years of effort to increase attendance at Town Meeting by myself, other residents and town officials, I was elated to see many new faces at this year’s meeting. However, shortly after the moderator opened the meeting, I saw the meeting devolve into chaos, where attendees were left squirming in their seats for an entire hour, as speaker after speaker argued about process.
The balance of the meeting, which lasted seven hours including a lunch break, was no less painful as people spoke without being recognized, and hurled insults at other speakers and town officials.
Sadly, this behavior came not from new attendees who might have been unfamiliar with the process, but from “old timers” who have participated in Town Meeting many times before and are well familiar with the rules of order.
No doubt, changes in format could have been better explained and our blindsided, hardworking moderator could have done more to enforce order, but the behavior I witnessed at our annual Town Meeting was reprehensible.
To those residents who gave up their Saturday to contribute to their community I would like to apologize for the behavior of my neighbors. To those who usurped our democratic process, I would ask that when you attend next year’s annual Town Meeting, you do your homework, ask pertinent questions, make salient arguments, and leave your anger at home.
I will continue to promote our form of government … with renewed vigor.
Nelson Shifflett
Conway