Published in the March 28, 2018 edition

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Town Meeting is going to become a virtual party going forward.

Town Meeting Study Committee (TMSC) Chairman Jack Adelson recommended that electronic voting and check-in be implemented at Town Meeting during last week’s Board of Selectmen meeting. Local officials piloted the two programs at October Town Meeting after two companies agreed to offer a free trial run. Local officials and townspeople praised electronic voting and check-in at the end of October Town Meeting.

Town Clerk Trudy Reid requested $70,000 in order to implement the new initiatives as part of the town’s fiscal year 2019 capital budget. Town Administrator Rob Dolan incorporated the request into the recommended capital budget.

In a phone interview with the Villager, Reid said a new vendor, Option Technologies, will be demonstrating electronic voting and check-in at Town Meeting on April 30.

Adelson said the TMSC was formed as part of an effort to find ways to improve Town Meeting. He said the committee visited town meetings in North Reading, Ipswich, Rockport and Wayland to observe how those meetings are run.

The TMSC launched a town-wide survey, which Adelson said was mailed to residents along with the Town Census. He said the committee received 1,289 responses, but said compiling the survey’s results was difficult.

“Town Clerk Trudy Reid and her husband Dave came to the rescue,” said Adelson. “Dave produced a very sophisticated Excel spreadsheet that allowed us to tabulate the report.”

Due to the amount of time it took to compile the survey’s results, Adelson said the committee is still in the process of developing recommendations for Town Meeting to consider implementing.

“We feel comfortable recommending electronic voting and check-in, but we are not making any other recommendations for this Town Meeting,” said Adelson. “We need more time and we would like to defer everything else until October.”

Adelson said 90 percent of people who responded to the survey said they do not want to change the 175-voter quorum requirement in order for Town Meeting to conduct business.

The survey’s results revealed 13 percent of the responders always attend Town Meeting, 29 percent sometimes attend, 31 percent rarely attend and 26 percent never attend.

Adelson noted people’s work schedules and the length of Town Meeting are two reasons why people choose not to attend.

According to Adelson, the survey revealed people prefer having “time limits” on presentations and question and answer sessions.

“People also want earlier start times and earlier finish times,” said Adelson. “The two biggest factors that prevent people from attending Town Meeting are work and the length of the meeting. The two primary changes that would have people attend Town Meeting are electronic voting and shorter meetings.”

Adelson thanked Reid and her husband for working together to compile the survey’s results and report.

“You are very lucky to have her,” said Adelson.

Adelson also thanked the TMSC’s three younger members for the input they have provided.

“It does no good to have seven people from the same generation on a committee,” said Adelson. “There is no benefit to that.”

Selectmen reaction

Selectmen Chairman Chris Barrett said electronic voting and check-in will be positive additions to Town Meeting.

Selectman Dick Dalton agreed.

“I think this is a great start,” said Dalton.

Adelson believes the committee would have received a “fraction” of the responses to the survey if the committee implemented an online version instead.

Selectman Phil Crawford thanked Reid and her husband for working to compile the report.