Were this petition article adopted, would it mean that citizens could vote on ALL issues in the most DEMOCRATIC of ways without the bullying, shouting and intimidation from special interests present at Town Meeting? Would it eliminate the packing of the room with people (who would never normally attend a TM) just to shove their agenda through or vote down someone else's? Hhhhmmmmm.... Sounds good to me! Cathy White

People are shouting from the roof tops to maintain our small town atmosphere and now comes a petition to go to SB2 voting which will do away with a small town tradition and head us into big city politics. SB2 allows people to go and vote on articles without hearing both sides of the question. Bullying and intimidation are only viewed by people who are losing their argument. Town meetings are ground level politics and are what this country was founded on. Sure with SB2 you can have a deliberative session but you can't change anything or amend anythng and few people attend it because they are usually held during the week, for example the recent school deliberative session. Residents need to think long and hard before giving up their rights to express their views before the entire town at town meeting. Bill Moses

I'm intrigued,can anyone tell me who proposed this petition article? Chuck, do you know anything about it's origins? If not, do any Walpolean readers know? Thanks in advance! Cathy White P.s. thankfully, no one in my neighborhood is shouting from the rooftops - good thing since we have no noise ordinance. But isn't it funny how those that want a "Wal-mall" here in Walpole aren't willing to let political progress happen along with their cherished development?

I believe that your lone candidate for the Selectman position initiated the SB2 petition, if she didn't, at least she is a strong supporter of it. "shouting from the roof tops" was meant metaphoically. I have never advocated a Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot etc for our area. I am an advocate for cleaning up and upgrading the North Meadow Plaza and bringing in some business(es) to broaden our tax base. By the way isn't it ironic that North Meadow Plaza was named for the meadow that it and Dearborn Circle were once a part of PRIME AGRICULTURAL land that people are NOW trying to preserve. I guess when it pleases us it is ok and when it doesn't we fight it. Bill M.

Wow. Now the candidate Bill was "happy to see...running for selectman's office", whom he found to be "very intellegent and knowledgable and cares about the community" on 2/2/08 is NOW "YOUR lone candidate for the Selectman position". Well, I certainly plan on supporting her. Not sure if Bill still is. Also, I understand metaphors (similes too!), and was being a bit sarcastic when I refered to the lack of noise ordinances in Walpole. As far as North Meadow Plaza and Dearborn Circle (as well as Burrows Lane)go, my husband and I bought our home when this entire development had been completed for some time, and NMP had been standing long enough to have already become the eyesore it currently is, so I can't say who, if anyone, was fighting any of this development at that time. I do know that my house was built on a cornfield, but it was a house and not a cornfield when we first laid eyes on it. We pay huge taxes to live on this space; taxes which the cornfield did not,to my knowledge, generate. Would/could anyone else ring in on this SB2 issue? It's an important one. Because frankly, sparring with someone who consistently has to have the last word and understands nothing of what I am saying is annoying me.

I stand by my comments that Jamie Teague is very knowledgable, intelligent and cares about the community. It doesn't mean that I agree with all her ideas or proposals anymore than I do those of Cathy White. But I respect Ms White's rights to her opinions although they obviously disagree with mine. And the fact that someone who does not agree with her comments and ideas annoys her concerns me as to what her real agenda is in trying to keep business out of Walpole. Ms. White must be overjoyed that she can now register her vehicles via the internet. If it will make her and other readers of this blog happy I will discontinue my comments on any items that disagree with Ms. White. I would not want to be the cause of unduly upsetting any individual. God Bless America and the freedom of speech! Bill Moses.

"God bless America and the freedom of speech?" I think that was a done deal with the misnamed Patriot Act, as well as countless other repealings of our rights as Americans under this current "regime". To set the record straight, I have no "real agenda" in trying to keep ANYTHING out of Walpole. My only "agenda" is keeping my neighborhood residential, with ALL the rights due to taxpaying residential homeowners in this town! In another mistaken conclusion, I am NOT in any way "overjoyed" that I can now "register" my "vehicles via the internet". Where does that even COME from? I enjoy the interaction I am able to have with Sandy and Wendy each and every time I need to do business at the Town Clerk's office. And, for the record, I only own one vehicle, which is 11 years old (vs. the households with 3 plus vehicles). It WILL definitely make me happy for you to "discontinue" your comments with regard to me. This is a blog for the citzens of Walpole, not a place to air your personal grievances and to bully other people (yes, that includes women - we are people too!). Please let this be an end to this! Cathy White