Dear fellow Hanoverians:
When the motion to dissolve the Annual Town Meeting was made at 10:18 p.m.
Tuesday evening, a cheer erupted from the voters still remaining in the
auditorium at Hanover High School. I’m not sure who was happier, those who
labored long and hard for months to make the past couple of evenings
happen, or those who feared reconsideration of the override motion. :)
484 people checked in to Town Meeting this evening; the largest number this
32-year resident remembers for a second night of Town Meeting in at least
15 years. We bandied about challenging zoning topics like the MBTA Overlay
District zoning requirements (ultimately referred back to the Planning
Board for further study) and accessory dwelling units (approved after an
amendment from the floor), bought a lawn mower and a woodchipper, and made
sure our men in blue have new cruisers and radios. I am personally most
excited about the 3-year dog license option. :) As the Moderator noted,
we got through more articles in 27 minutes this evening than we did in all
of one long night last night. A total of 45 articles later, and the
meeting is over.
Please join me in a shout out to the Advisory Committee from all of us for
their particularly extraordinary efforts during this exceptionally
challenging budget analysis year! Their time and energy seem boundless to
me sometimes, and their dedication to their work is very appreciated by all
of us.
And so, we’re on to the election. There are two contested races (Board of
Assessors and School Committee) and two “vote for two” races (School
Committee and Select Board) in addition to the override question. As a
reminder, the override has to pass at both the Town Meeting (it did) and at
the Town Election (stay tuned) in order to take effect. The deadline to
apply for a Vote by Mail ballot is Monday, May 13th. Your application has
to be received in the Town Clerk’s Office by that date in order to be
processed. Due to a vacancy in the Assistant Town Clerk’s position, an
appointment needs to be made directly with the Town Clerk in order to vote
in person absentee, which is also only available to those who qualify.
Please go to
http://atotw.com/maillist/lt.php?tid=AVY3XvSSzKyAWEM5S8howAyjXHkktPwUj0Kkpdl4u/xoqLt7nDP4RqoN783ZLADJ
for more information. Most everyone else should just plan to vote on
person on Election Day, Saturday, May 18th. The polls will be open from
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Hanover High School!
One sidebar quick story before I send this e-blast…on Friday of last
week, Hanover’s newest US citizen, an immigrant from Ukraine, arrived in
the Town Clerk’s Office with questions about voter registration and Town
Meeting. The deadline to register to vote in this Town Meeting and Town
Election had passed, but as a new citizen, there was a legal exception to
the deadline for him. He also wanted to know when and where Town Meeting
was going to be held. We handed him a Warrant, a copy of his voter
registration, and related instructions, and sent him along. This evening,
around 9:45 p.m., I noticed “A” for the first time, sitting middle row
center, at Hanover High, and holding his hand high when the Moderator
called for a show of hands.
I’m so proud of us. Great job Hanover. See you in 11 days at the polls!
For “Around Town on the Web”,
Cathy H-B
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