Moderator At Fault For Article 22 Outcome

A Letter to the Editor from Lori Anne McPherson:

I attended [Monday] night’s town meeting and was appalled by the outrageous display of bias by Moderator Jean Craigie regarding the trash fee question that was obvious to many who attended. Craigie clearly slanted the speaking opportunities to her liberal spending allies Anthony Wilson and Shelly MacNeill. At one point of the meeting it felt like Wilson was the moderator when he took the podium on every issue he wished to speak on but especially the trash fee question. Selectwoman Caroline Colarusso raised her hand to speak and was denied saying that she already spoke while Wilson was given free reign to speak freely all evening. Colarusso was told stay within the corners of the Article as was James Maimone when he raised hockey fees was shot down, but Selectwoman Shelly MacNeil was allowed to go outside the 4 corners when she brought up fees for sports fees and music which has nothing to do with trash.

Subsequently, Craigie effectively disenfranchised voters when she failed to explain what a yes or no vote meant when the vote was taken on an amendment which was voted down. There were a lot of seniors at Town Meeting and many people were confused about what the vote meant, but the Moderator failed to explain the vote as. Please watch the tape and see that Ms. Craigie never explained what a yes or no vote meant, and as a result people who came out for town meeting to vote for a trash fee holiday went home frustrated by an exhibition of autocratic abuse by the Moderator. Our previous Moderator Larry Means would never have abused his position the way Craigie did. I hope Mr. Means can be persuaded to run against Craigie next year.

Lori Anne McPherson, Oriental CT.