Thank you for trying to educate people. Actually most towns in MA have an "open" Town Meeting (259), where ALL citizen of the town may show up, debate, and vote on the business of the town. Only 33 towns have representative Town Meeting as Burlington does. Often they are implemented whenever turnouts at Town Meeting become too large to become unwieldy or when obtaining a quorum becomes too challenging.*
Burlington is neighbored by Open Town Meetings (Billerica, Bedford, & Wilmington), Representative Town Meetings (Lexington), and City government (Woburn)
Don't be fooled into assuming a municipality's form of government. Arlington which is so large you might assume it is a city is actually a town, while Barnstable on Cape Cod is actually a city with the name "Town of Barnstable".
*Did you know that in the Burlington Bylaws can compel Town Meeting Members to attend Town Meeting if there is not a quorum present. That provision is a hold-over from Burlington's days as an Open Town Meeting. One of our neighbors told us a story of picking up a prescription at the pharmacy for his sick daughter, when a policeman came & "compelled" him to go to Town Meeting, while the policeman would deliver the prescription to his wife waiting at home.
Thank you for trying to educate people. Actually most towns in MA have an "open" Town Meeting (259), where ALL citizen of the town may show up, debate, and vote on the business of the town. Only 33 towns have representative Town Meeting as Burlington does. Often they are implemented whenever turnouts at Town Meeting become too large to become unwieldy or when obtaining a quorum becomes too challenging.*
Burlington is neighbored by Open Town Meetings (Billerica, Bedford, & Wilmington), Representative Town Meetings (Lexington), and City government (Woburn)
Don't be fooled into assuming a municipality's form of government. Arlington which is so large you might assume it is a city is actually a town, while Barnstable on Cape Cod is actually a city with the name "Town of Barnstable".
*Did you know that in the Burlington Bylaws can compel Town Meeting Members to attend Town Meeting if there is not a quorum present. That provision is a hold-over from Burlington's days as an Open Town Meeting. One of our neighbors told us a story of picking up a prescription at the pharmacy for his sick daughter, when a policeman came & "compelled" him to go to Town Meeting, while the policeman would deliver the prescription to his wife waiting at home.