EDITORIAL: Brookfield’s “orange M&M” problem

BROOKFIELD — There’s a famous story about rock bands and contract riders.

Some major acts would include a strange requirement: backstage, there had to be a bowl of M&Ms — with no orange ones.

It wasn’t about being difficult. It was a test.

If the band walked in and saw orange M&Ms in the bowl, they knew something important: the venue hadn’t carefully followed the contract. And if they missed something that obvious, what else did they miss? Electrical safety? Structural setup? Crowd controls?

The small detail revealed a bigger problem.

Right now, the Town of Brookfield has its own version of orange M&Ms.

The vote that didn’t stick

Years ago, Brookfield voters approved a change at Town Meeting: the “Board of Selectmen” would become the “Select Board.”

Clear. Simple. Voted.

And yet, the town continues to use the old term.

It shows up in official notices.
It’s embedded in town email addresses.
It’s still used in meetings.

That’s the orange M&M in the bowl.

Why this matters

On its face, this might seem minor ,  just a word.

But that’s exactly the point.

If a straightforward, voter-approved change like this isn’t fully implemented, it raises a bigger question: what else is being overlooked, delayed, or quietly ignored?

Because Town Meeting votes are not symbolic. They are the legislative decisions of the town.

And when those decisions aren’t carried out, it’s not just an oversight — it’s a breakdown in accountability.

A test the town is failing

The name change is easy to verify. Anyone can see it — on a notice, in a meeting, in an email address.

Which is what makes it so important.

It’s a visible indicator of whether the town is following through on what voters decide.

Right now, that indicator is flashing.

An easy fix — and an important one

This isn’t complicated.

Update the language.
Change the email address.
Use the correct title in meetings and documents.

More importantly, show that when Brookfield voters make a decision, it is actually carried out.

Because the Town of Brookfield still has orange M&Ms in its bowl , and that raises a bigger question: what else are they missing?