By popular demand I am going to run another Citizenship In The Community class.

I will be blunt–I made a huge mistake on the last one by trying to combine two classes for the last class.  It took forever for that last class to take place and by that time we were all tired of exchanging e-mails.  So this one will be run a little better and I promise that I won’t mess around with that last class.

Running it in the afternoon is attractive.  All we need to do is to pick a day.  I am open, but let’s try Monday afternoon from 3:45 – 5:00 PM.

There will be four classes plus one last class which will be a mini Town Meeting.  During the first four classes we will draft a warrant article and then hold a Special Town Meeting to debate that article.

We will need some adults to form a Board of Selectmen and maybe a Planning Board or Recreation Committee depending on what you decide on for an article.  By the way–if your mother is the Chair of the Board of Selectman, do not assume that your article will be approved by that board. 

Two or three Scouts will present the article and will, of course, be in favor of it.  The rest of the Scouts will divide into two or three precincts for the meeting.  In the past we have debated whether to put down artificial turf on the football field (defeated) and whether to limit how many Dunkin’ Donuts to allow in any one area (defeated).  Not everything has been defeated.  An article to ask for money to fund lights on the soccer field passed although there were some irritated abutters who spoke forcefully against it.

By the time we finish you will be familiar with the Town Office Building.  A member of the School Committee will have talked to you and answered your questions.  You will have visited the Department of Public Works.  You will know all about composting and recycling.  You will know how Town Meeting works and you will have debated an article before your own version of that body.  You will have met the Budget Officer, and a variety of other Town staff.

If for some reason you cannot make that last class, then there will be a substitute requirement.

I will start right after the holidays and we will meet once a week for 4 or 5 weeks.  Right now I am thinking about 3:45-5:00 on Monday.  If you are interested, please e-mail me.  And of course, Troop 119 Scouts and parents are invited to participate.  Historically we have been about half and half.

So send me an e-mail if you are interested.  If you like the idea of the class, but Monday doesn’t work, let me know what day would be better.

-Hank Manz