Living in an information age doesn’t necessarily mean we’re better informed. Rather, it may suggest that we know a whole lot of nothing about what’s going on around us. Even scarier, the people who know a whole lot of nothing may be bending an ear to street buzz and opinionated sound bites, and interpreting them as gospel. Sound scary? It does to me.

So, I ask you: Are you in the know?

I guess the answer to that question would be – it all depends on what matters to you. But spending some time at town gatherings lately has enlightened me to how many people aren’t in the know when it comes to important things about town.

Pulling up some real estate on the sidewalk of Route 1 to watch the town Memorial Day parade, I was surprised at how many people I was able to impress. As numerous people paraded by, people on either side inquired: Who’s that? When I told them that Darlene Curley and Harold Clough were our state representatives, they were impressed. When I told them the three people a little farther back were town councilors, Sylvia Most, Patrick O’Reilly, and Steve Ross, they were impressed again – adding: “you know everyone!”

No, I don’t. But seeing that these people make some pretty important decisions on our behalf, I would think that it might behoove us to be in the know when it comes to what’s going on in town. After all, residents will be voting soon on some important issues.

This past weekend, Nancy Crowell from Scarborough Public Library set up an information table at St. Maximilian Kolbe. Displaying a wide selection of religious books from the library collection, a second table had a scaled down model of the proposed new library that our community will be voting on June 13.

As people made their way to the table, I was surprised many people had no idea a library expansion was being proposed and going to voters June 13! Now, I’ve heard of poor marketing, but help me with this one: Every week for the past two months, each of the three weekly papers have carried at least one editorial on the library. There have been numerous stories, endorsements by newspaper editors, mailings, and information meetings set up with the many various groups and organizations around town. Not to mention the green signs posted on many people’s lawns encouraging people to vote Yes in support of the project. It almost seems unheard of that people wouldn’t know, at the very least, about this proposed project!

By now – I realize I’m preaching to the choir – a newspaper reader, who has a paid subscription to one of the three weekly publications our town offers its residents. To not know about this project is frankly pretty scary stuff!

Especially in light of the much bigger sell coming down the pike – a $54 million dollar school project – at risk of going to voters because the Town Council doesn’t dare stand up to the unanimous school board who all think we need this project, and its high price tag to go along with it.

So, in this information age, how can we better inform the voting public? And better yet, is the public voting? If not, why not? Complacency and ignorance cost us all. But I will confess I’ve had my share of surprises in this town.

Despite three weekly newspapers, it seems we often get news after the fact. Attendance at Town Council hearings and School Board meetings really requires special interests to not only be in the know, but on top of their game. The town doesn’t make it easy for us.

Speaking at a Scarborough Rotary Club meeting recently, Rotarians asked Current editor, Brendan Moran, why the Current didn’t post town council and school board meeting agendas in advance of the meeting so that more people would attend the meeting. Surprise, surprise – it’s rather difficult for an agenda to get posted in any of the weekly papers, when the meeting agenda isn’t made available until the Friday before a Wednesday meeting. Since all three weekly papers have already come out for the week, and the Wednesday meeting scheduled in the following week, usually happens after deadline for that week – we’re on information delay.

Not a regular Web site user, but for the purposes of this column, I decided to check in on the town Web site: last agenda posted is dated May 17, even though the Town Council had a meeting scheduled on Wednesday, June 7. So I guess that leaves me in the dark. Clearly, the town can do better – and while we’re at it – how about some pictures of each of the town councilors?

It would seem to me, if we’re living here, and paying taxes we all should do our part to be in the know of what’s happening around town, get involved, and become informed voters. But the town must do their part to inform us. Let’s see the agendas in all three papers and on the Web site before the meetings rather than read news stories after the fact.

What happens in town should matter to all of us – it’s time to be in the know!