Shame on Local Media

Dear Editor:

Monday evening, Feb. 24, 2014, at the regularly scheduled, Groton Board of Selectmen meeting, the Groton Town Meeting Review Study Committee presented it's findings, with recommendations, on measures that should, and/or could, be taken to enhance the experience of attending Groton Town Meeting for Groton's residents.

The Committee's written report, along with Committee Chairman Bob Collins' formal presentation to Selectmen, represented the summary judgment of seven (7) Groton citizens each of whom gave of their time for over a year! The Committee's efforts included creation, distribution and assessment of the replies to a town-wide survey, holding public hearings and extensive research into the experience of attending town meetings in other, relatively local and similarly situated, Massachusetts towns.

The Committee's findings, based in no small measure on input from Groton citizens, themselves, have the potential for re-vitalizing a process by which we define and govern ourselves, and for moving Groton Town Meeting into the 21st Century!

Yet, even while one can appreciate the overwhelming news impact of a 2.? million dollar school district budget deficit, over the following week only one news publication - the Groton Landmark, chose to report on this Committee's final output!

Neither the Groton Herald (newspaper or website), or the "Groton Line" (website), reported on the results, described that evening, of this singular, year long effort! Not one word!

Well, I have an appropriate word for both....!

Shame!

And, we wonder why "Change" in Groton Town governance can be so difficult.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I was a member of that Committee.)

Scott Evans Harker

Martins Pond Road