Town governance in Massachusetts is at the same time an exercise in futility and a spectacle of democracy in action. This evening Jeanine and I attended Town Meeting where the major ballot vote was to approve a new $92M high school to replace the dilapidated CCHS facility. After contributions from the state, taxpayers in Concord and Carlisle will pick up the tax burden for $64.5M. Mercifully the question was called after an hour of debate (amazing what happens when you offer a microphone to anyone with an opinion and half the town a captive audience). Registered residents raise their ballots to indicate their vote and in the event the outcome is less than obvious they are collected and counted. Pictured here is one of three venues filled to overflow capacity and linked by remote video monitors as the measure was overwhelmingly approved.