The Township Committee functions as the board of the town; it is composed of five members who work collaboratively to pass laws and set policies that affect Montgomery directly. When meeting with Committeeperson Huang, he described a similarity he sees between the House of Representatives and the Township Committee; while all of the members of the committee share responsibilities and authority rather equally, the mayor, which he compared to the Speaker of the House, has additional powers, but is not elected by the public. Prior to being assigned to the township committee, I did not realize that the Township Committee selects the mayor of the town itself. This means that while constituents do not directly elect the mayor, they indirectly elect them by selecting members of the committee. This system is meant to insulate the mayor from the immediate repercussions of unpopular decisions. A mayor, especially during such politically turbulent times, has to make decisions that may not be popular, but will be in the best long-term interest of the town. However, this system is clearly subject to potential abuse. Since the mayor is not directly held accountable by the electorate, the local government can theoretically become corrupt, working in the best interests of the officials rather than the town. This is why transparency in government, even at local levels, is so important. 
     Many people disregard the impact local government has on our lives, and therefore express a certain level of apathy towards informing themselves on district matters. However, the Township Committee’s impact on Montgomery is not negligible. But while many people might not acknowledge or realize the importance of the Township Committee, the members work hard to promote accountability and transparency within our local government every day. In my interview with Committeeperson Huang, he described how the council members want the community to “hold us accountable.” He and the other committee members are working to increase accountability by having more of the various committee and board meetings recorded and made available on the Montgomery website. 
     Unlike these other committees and boards, however, the Township Committee does not specialize in a certain area of expertise, but rather has a broad oversight of all town matters. A typical Township Committee meeting during the pandemic is virtual and held via Zoom, but is both broadcast and recorded to encourage local viewership. The meetings occur on the first and third Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm, where they can last anywhere from thirty minutes to a couple of hours. The meetings begin with a COVID-19 update from the Board of Health, and then continue by passing resolutions. These resolutions are typically unanimously supported, as they are not exactly controversial. For example, expanding the outdoor seating space at Tiger’s Tale or changing the zoning classification of a building or property. Sometimes other items are added to the agenda, such as an update on the construction of the Municipal Building or a brief presentation on the history of the Montgomery sewage system, but these added items are not consistent. Finally, at every meeting, there is at least one opportunity for public comment. You can either write your question in the chat, request to be on camera to deliver your comment aloud, or write an email in advance that will be read out at the meeting. If there was one thing I could improve about these meetings, I would try to promote inclusivity during the public comment section(s).
     The format of the meetings, as they are held on Zoom, are panels, in which the participants are on camera, but the viewers cannot be seen or heard unless invited to speak. This setup creates an “us versus them” mentality in which viewers are discouraged from speaking, as they are either intimidated or feel that they are imposing. While for practical reasons this format cannot be changed, I feel that there are other ways in which the committee can further promote community participation. The first step, I believe, would be making the emails of the committee officials and the Zoom link to the meetings more accessible. With Montgomery’s current website, it is nearly impossible to find this information quickly and easily. Additionally, simply spreading information about the meetings would be incredibly beneficial in encouraging participation and viewership. As many of us cannot vote, one of the only options students have in getting involved in local government is attending these meetings and giving their input. I would consider myself fairly politically engaged, but prior to my joining the YLC, I had no idea what the Township Committee was or that we could attend the meetings. Through a social media presence or outreaches at the High School, there are numerous ways to increase community involvement. 
     It is easy to get frustrated with the slow pace of local government, however, after interviewing Committeeperson Huang, it is evident that the layers of bureaucracy are necessary in maintaining the proper checks against government corruption. Currently, in light of the recent Black Lives Matter protests, the town is gathering data on various branches of local government (for example, police arrests) to determine the best course of action. However, from the outside, it seems that they have had no response. This is why it is so important to ask questions and be engaged; so we have an accurate understanding of the measures the town is taking to address prevalent issues. Everyone is inclined to complain about the lack of government response, but without actually engaging in the meetings, the complaints have no actual merit. By attending these meetings and educating ourselves, we can collectively improve our community, even if we cannot legally vote yet.