This is to remind Chelseans about the upcoming ATV ordinance informational meeting on Monday, July 25th at 7pm. This will be our first opportunity to learn the selectboard's logic behind creating and adopting the ordinance, how it plays into their long-range plan for ATV use in town, by what measures they will determine success or failure of this experiment, and what recourse neighborhood residents will have in the event of bad apple behavior, however unlikely.

An unfortunate consequence of Chelsea's recent passing by one vote the selectboard proposal to abandon floor-voting for most town business, is that residents will have even less incentive to come out for community discussion. Why come out to an optional meeting when we've already got it all figured out by talking to folks in our own camps and reading Facebook? While Australian balloting increases voter turnout, I am concerned that our town has lost the opportunity for cohesive and strengthening community dialogue. I really hope my fellow community members will prove me wrong and come out for the meeting.

The vote itself will happen the following day, Tuesday July 26th from 9am-7pm. Voters are not being asked to declare support for or opposition to ATVs, but whether to disapprove or approve the selectboard's ordinance, which essentially turns the class 3 and 4 roads along neighborhoods in upper Jenkins Brook and Vershire Center roads into a recreational loop for use by the Westshire Club and others riders coming via Vershire. Chelsea residents can only legally ride in Chelsea if they live in this section or trailer in.

It was clear following the Westshire Club's request (which I don't blame them for) that the potential for community division loomed large. My participation on the ATV advisory committee was rooted in a desire for a fair and thorough process; I also hoped that our work would put Chelsea neighborhoods and riders first. In my opinion, the selectboard did not allow enough time and was over-invested in throwing a bone to the club (represented by two very nice guys, by the way). I also think more participation should have been solicited from Chelsea riders, and residents in the potentially affected neighborhoods. Our committee included one recreational Chelsea rider who made it to two thirds of the meetings (and was a real asset) and no one from the affected neighborhoods. An ordinance was thrown together at the last minute with 5 of 8 members voting to submit it to the selectboard (2 of whom were committee members). Most of us expected that voters would be included in further discussion or approval so it was frustrating and disappointing that the selectboard chose to table the draft for over two months before quietly adopting it just after Town Meeting with no recorded discussion.

I am looking forward to learning more at the informational meeting but am currently in favor of tossing out the ordinance and beginning again with more input from invested Chelsea ATV riders and residents seeking a community-strengthening compromise.