[Massplanners] Question about becoming the least patriotic town planner in...

[Danielson, Stephanie]

Couldn’t agree more…

From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> On Behalf Of Harry LaCortiglia via MassPlanners
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2023 10:32 AM
To: massplanners at masscptc.org
Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Question about becoming the least patriotic town planner in...


Hi Thom,

Our Planning Board doesn't do a pledge before, after, or during our meetings. We're elected officials.

Shortly after being elected we pledged to uphold the laws of the Commonwealth when we were being sworn in by the Town Clerk,.

Seems to me that a Pledge of Allegiance before each and every meeting would be somewhat redundant given that we've already all done it, at least once.

One would have to ask...

If the pledge needed to be taken before every meeting that we hold, does that mean the pledge somehow expires between meetings? At what point does the Pledge expire?

Do Pledges of Allegiance have half-lives?

Are they only good for the duration of the meeting and then need to be renewed at the next meeting? What about when meetings are paused for only a few minutes? Do we need to "re- pledge" if an intermission is of a certain length?

Good thing it's a Friday...

Before anyone asks, we do not play the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of the meetings, either. Nor is it softly playing in the background during the meetings.

(Our upcoming meeting may have a Mariah Carey holiday tune playing in the background though...) https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=fRyhqobl0sk
H. LaCortiglia
Georgetown




On 12/13/2023 12:45 PM, Thomas Bott via MassPlanners wrote:
Dear Planners:
The Board in CranberryLand USA is still working on finding their way. We have had some very interesting conversations about the Agenda recently. My question might just make me that most unpatriotic planner in Murica, but sometimes we have to ask the tough questions.

Does the Planning Board that you work with recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of their meeting? I have been in the process of updating the Board's Operating Procedures   https://www.carverma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif4221/f/uploads/pb_procedures_revised_6-29-2016.pdf   and there are no pledges noted in the policies nor on their Agenda, nevertheless they persist. No pledges including a Pledge to the Zoning Bylaw nor a Pledge to the Subdivision Regs  not even a pledge for a Nina Toten Bag https://shopnpr.org/this-is-nina-totin-bag are cited.

It seems like a regular feature in some communities for the Select Board but these folks selected the Planning Board for their public service.
I would be much obliged as well if you wanted to share any of your policies and procedures.
Thanks much,
TBott, fellow traveler?


Thomas Bott Carver Town Planner

Practicing Planning in the Commonwealth since the last Millennium  #TownPlannerSilverJubilee


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