It was Tuesday. On my calendar were a Conservation Commission (ConCom) meeting and the debate between the two contenders for Berkshire 3rd District representative — affectionately truncated to “Smitty’s seat.” As I sat listening to both, I was thinking…

In one I heard about N-Rad, BBW, and something that sounded like PCP but might have been PCB or MTV. In the other we were urged not to forget Stretch; to firmly grasp the advantages of AHA, and hang on to the concept of hub and spoke. We were told something would make a great stride forward. I am all for a great stride forward, and I wish I knew what it was. However, the maker of great strides was unintelligible.

I urge everyone to vote. How is up to each of us. What I was thinking on that Tuesday is how smart and educated we must be to vote wisely. What is N-Rad or PCP or Stretch or AHA? If I knew what they were, well hey, maybe I’d know how to vote. 

It might be that the candidates at the debate and our fabulous volunteers at ConCom know all this stuff and could explain it. One reason the candidates can’t take the time to explain is a moderator who kept saying, “you have 30 seconds,” and hitting a ticking timer. I am willing to bet that none of the problems or their solutions can be explained in 30 seconds. 

Here’s the thing: Volunteers and elected officials, plus those who want to be elected officials, might take a minute and explain what they are talking about. Better if their goal were educating the voters or at least remembering we are there and listening.

I am willing to speculate that it would be way better for all of us because whichever candidate wins, and whoever is sitting on the commission, we the people have to understand the issues, face the problems, and vote on the best solutions. And, regardless of what N-Rad means (I looked it up and I don’t think it is “no risk after discharge’), we don’t want to find out the meaning and the impact on our community after the lot is clear cut, the distance to the water’s edge is paved, the coverage on the lot exceeds the allowable limit, or…