After last Monday’s Special Town Meeting, Moderator Michael Fee reconvened the attendees as Annual Town Meeting to address the one unfinished item from the annual warrant: a citizens’ petition on nuclear disarmament. The petition passed on a voice vote after a brief but contentious debate.
The resolution sends a message to our elected representatives, primarily at the federal level, urging them to support a nonbinding resolution currently before Congress.
The congressional resolution calls on the administration to restart negotiations and to renounce the first launch of nuclear missiles. It also recommends ending the president’s sole authority to order a launch.
Needham Town Meeting approved a similar resolution in 2019. Joe McCabe, a Town Meeting member and the author of this year’s resolution, said at the time many questioned the appropriateness of Town Meeting dealing with an issue with national and international implications. That was a point of controversy again this year.
First-time Town Meeting member Adam Cole (Precinct I) said the item was not germane to town business and that was a reason to vote no.
“I campaigned on local issues. I didn’t solicit or campaign on any national issues. We only meet a handful of days a year and we have very pressing matters to attend to,” he said.
He argued the Town Meeting’s limited schedule should be devoted to local issues.
Dave Sherman, a Needham resident but not a Town Meeting member, said the content of the resolution was flawed and, in spite of its intent, would make nuclear war more likely.
“The president needs to have a hair-trigger alert. We can’t wait for the checks and balances that the resolution calls for,” Sherman said.
Sherman pointed out that nuclear weapons have not been used against civilians since 1945. “The U.S. nuclear arsenal has preserved nuclear stability,” he said.
Lois Sockol, also from Precinct I, said she supported the resolution because she didn’t believe one person should have the power to order a launch and bring about global destruction.
The Select Board had voted 3-2 not to take a position on the resolution, which passed Town Meeting with a simple majority on the second voice vote. Fee asked for the second voice vote because the first voice vote was too close for him to make a final determination and dispose of the warrant item.
With the town’s position on global nuclear engagement clarified, Town Meeting adjourned after being in session for three long nights this month.
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