Editors, Vineyard Gazette;

A big shout-out, more like a loud country holler, to the lady volunteers of the League of Women Voters. The recent gathering at the beautiful Edgartown Library meeting room was packed to hear from the current slate of candidates for election.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is exactly the time and place to pepper candidates and incumbents with all your questions and concerns. This is exactly the forum that should be widely attended by every available Edgartown voter and perhaps held at the Whaling Church to accommodate a more engaged electorate.

Your taxes, your money, your voice should be heard. This is exactly the venue to air your grievances to get a candidate’s point of view or for incumbents to explain their past actions.

Directing voters to attend just such a meeting by advertising or posted notice may possibly limit ill-timed and inappropriate ramblings at town meetings until 10:30 or 11 p.m. (Aside, I propose we permanently invert the agenda at the town meeting where the most hotly debated issues are at the beginning of the program and not when half of us are dozing off or long gone.)

Thank you, League of Women Voters, for all you do, for shining a big bright light on our republic and our fair town . . . "if we can keep it.”

Brendan Langley
Edgartown