Boston resident here. I love that people around the country are covering this story about standing up at a town meeting in favor of more housing. Just one note, the Marblehead town planners had meaningfully tried to comply with the law earlier, but one earlier attempt was voted down by town meeting. The next one passed town meeting but was reversed by a special election. So I think the planners are frustrated as well by this result. You hear a planner or selectmen say in response to David Modica, "we tried that (complying) last year and it didn't work." And again at the end you hear Modica saying he doesn't get it, the planner "you're not missing anything here" (i.e., you're right). The planners are frustrated as well, but if they don't pass something in compliance, the town will be punished by withdrawal of certain State funding. Which they DESERVE to be deprived of, along with several other Massachusetts towns!
Yes, planner are in a tough spot, but eventually have to stand up. Their job is technical advisory, and if elected officials are doing something that they believed to be bad, they need to be more full throated about it (or they risk being seen as corroborating). It’s a hard thing to do. Do it anyway.
Thanks for the additional context. I admit when I first saw the clip, it didn't strike me as particularly remarkable. We need more people to stand up to authentically say the quiet part out loud. I'm glad this has gotten the attention it has.
Boston resident here. I love that people around the country are covering this story about standing up at a town meeting in favor of more housing. Just one note, the Marblehead town planners had meaningfully tried to comply with the law earlier, but one earlier attempt was voted down by town meeting. The next one passed town meeting but was reversed by a special election. So I think the planners are frustrated as well by this result. You hear a planner or selectmen say in response to David Modica, "we tried that (complying) last year and it didn't work." And again at the end you hear Modica saying he doesn't get it, the planner "you're not missing anything here" (i.e., you're right). The planners are frustrated as well, but if they don't pass something in compliance, the town will be punished by withdrawal of certain State funding. Which they DESERVE to be deprived of, along with several other Massachusetts towns!
Yes, planner are in a tough spot, but eventually have to stand up. Their job is technical advisory, and if elected officials are doing something that they believed to be bad, they need to be more full throated about it (or they risk being seen as corroborating). It’s a hard thing to do. Do it anyway.
Thanks for the additional context. I admit when I first saw the clip, it didn't strike me as particularly remarkable. We need more people to stand up to authentically say the quiet part out loud. I'm glad this has gotten the attention it has.