Town Meeting will soon revisit and revote on an issue of major educational, social, and financial impact, affecting, more or less, every resident of Amherst and many residents of other towns.
The complexities and subtleties of the issue are often not acknowledged. I know many people who consider the current proposal educationally unacceptable. For them the choice is easy.
Others find the idea the best compromise among all feasible plans. For them the choice is easy.
It seems to me that the largest group consists of those who think the current plan is less than the best possible plan but worry about the consequences of delaying and revisiting potentially better plans.
Although I am in the third, latter group, for me the choice is easy. I am not willing to make a 50-year educational, social, and financial commitment to a plan formulated in a flawed process, a plan that leaves so many voices feeling unheard and not included.
For me, the urgency to act fast on a deeply controversial plan and deeply divided community is not compelling. I have confidence in our ability to act fast and effectively in redoing the process, finding broader agreement, and securing the needed funding in a reasonable time frame.
I urge we show respect for those with whom we disagree. I urge us to unite in support of either outcome.
Robert Greeney
Amherst
The writer is a Town Meeting member from Precinct 10.
