It was a SB meeting with a single agenda. Should the SB vote to release or execute the Right of First Refusal. An unprecedented audience of almost 100 people asked the Select Board not to vote on that issue until after Town Meeting so that the people could debate and vote on a Article 17, Citizens’ Petition on the Warrant. The Citizens’ Petition asked that the Town transfer money from Free Cash so that, if the Select Board approves, they can purchase the property and thereby control the use — the amount of development and the type of development.

Although they sounded as if a Citizens’ Petition was an imposition and that the matter should be voted upon without public comment because it was the dominion of SB, in the end, the SB heard public comment and voted to table their decision on the Right of First Refusal until after Town Meeting.

Editor’s note: Even before the Bill of Rights and then Constitution, it should never be felt as an imposition upon our representatives who are meant to listen and represent — not ignore and rule.