This letter is not about the sale of pieces of The Thomaston Green. It is not about the intended commercial development of The Green or whether or not a public health clinic belongs in Thomaston or on The Green. It is not about whether or not to build a new fire station or about where to place it. For both sides of all issues, it is about the importance of the need to include as many voters as possible in pivotal public issues involving the whole town and on which the whole town has very differing and passionate opinions.

The Thomaston Select Board has decided to place these important decisions before the voters as a show of hands vote at its annual town meeting. As witnessed at a public hearing on June 1, 2023, attended by more than 100-150 citizens, many of us aren’t happy with that decision. Evidently, two members of the Select Board aren’t happy with it either because that Select Board vote held on May 8 was 3-1-0. 

Several of us have written letters to the Select Board requesting that all Town meeting warrant articles regarding The Green be removed from the warrant and placed on a secret ballot (a way for all people to speak out without being intimidated) to be scheduled in the fall. That request was reiterated over and over again at the June 1 public hearing. It was reinforced by a show of hands at that same meeting.

Again, this is not about any of the individual issues involving The Green. It is about making sure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to participate. As one resident at the June 1 hearing stated, “to do otherwise is undemocratic, actually un-American.”

Stand up and do the right thing, Select Board, and let the townspeople on all sides of all the issues decide in the privacy of the voting booth. Remove all articles relating to The Green from the Annual Town Meeting Warrant (there are five of them) and prepare for a secret ballot in the fall. It is the right thing to do for all sides of the issues. Let the votes fall where they may. Thank you. 

Patricia Hubbard lives in Thomaston