The Special Election today for Kerry’s Senate seat got me thinking about Nantucket’s government and politics. Nantucket has an elected Board of Selectmen which is responsible for the Town government’s goals and policies. The BOS call the Town Meeting into existence by issuing the Warrant which is the list of items, known as the Articles, to be voted on. Every registered voter of Nantucket may vote at Town Meeting (non-registered voters can attend Town Meeting, but they are quarantined to a small section of the auditorium – it’s actually quite amusing). The Open Town Meeting format is effective because people can voice their opinions and eloquent speakers can easily sway voters. People are passionate about Nantucket, so the Town Meeting can get heated over hotly contested articles, like the room tax and the Madaket turbine (both asinine ideas in my humble opinion).
However, when Nantucketers see something they universally do not like, they can stop it dead in its tracks through Town Meeting. When Ralph Lauren opened a store on Main Street, there was an Article drafted before their lights were on to ban chain stores on Nantucket. It received overwhelming support at Town Meeting and thus, passed. When increasing numbers of homeowners began to install pools on their properties in the Old Historic District, Nantucketers saw this as greatly detracting from the charm and peace of the Old Historic District and brought an Article to Town Meeting to ban pools in the Old Historic District, which passed with overwhelming support.
So, no, you may not install a pool!