The June 2 Williamsburg Town Meeting left me stupefied and heartbroken. What started as a routine exercise out of Norman Rockwell painting quickly turned to chaos. It is clear that the vitriol of national politics has landed in our friendly town. The vote on Article 27 — a measure to allow the town to negotiate agreements for easements for a bike path — had all the makings of a culture war issue. There were social media posts full of misinformation. An otherwise upbeat meeting quickly turned into screaming matches when the issue came up for discussion. It was shameful, and we owe one another better.

The tumult left our hardworking town officials without answers or leadership. When the two-thirds majority needed to pass the measure failed by four votes, leaders seemed unable to answer basic procedural questions about what to do next. The procedure changed numerous times during the vote, leaving a lack of confidence on the part of many voters given the close margins. A motion to hold a recount election descended into further screaming that town leadership seemed to give into. They too owe the town better.

Finally, despite the lofty language about the town meeting being “democracy in action,” a vote on a future-focused infrastructure project for children was held in person at 6 p.m. — a time that many families are readying young children for bed. The voices with the greatest stake in the future of this project were muffled by adherence to nostalgia. Is this really the best we can do, Burgy?

Tom Bodo

Williamsburg