Last Spring there was a meeting of the Citizens/Voters/Taxpayers and Town Meeting Reps who were outraged with the Town's financial crisis; accountability, overspending, mismanagement and excessive taxation. Out of this meeting came four suggestions that were presented to the Selectboard:
1) a SPENDING FREEZE on the budget approved at the Town Meeting.
2) provide a LEVEL FUNDED budget for the New Fiscal Year
3) have a Town Meeting ASAP to review all spending and budgets and
4) call for the voluntary resignation of the Town Manager.
The Chairman patently refused to act upon these four items suggesting he needed more time to study the issues. The Board proceeded to pass the budget, raising the water and sewer bills (by 37%) to compensate for a $500,000 deficit. The ideas of spending freeze or level funding were NOT considered. In fact, a raise in wages for the Utilities Department management was also approved. The “good old boys” on the Selectboard refused to act upon these Citizens suggestions.
In response, we started a Petition to Recall three Selectmen who were elected by little more than 900 votes. We did get over 1100 signatures, but not enough for a Special Election. Since then, two of the “good old boys” have opted to leave the Board when their term expires, and the Town Manager has been on 3-month sick leave and has now “resigned”.
My concern has been exacerbated by recent Letters in the REFORMER from four former Selectmen endorsing a slate of candidates to replace the “good old boys” and edge out Audrey Garfield, the only Selectperson with the courage to address the Town’s financial problems and truly represent the Citizens/Taxpayers. If this slate is elected, this would be “business as usual” for the establishment.
We need Audrey Garfield to continue her efforts to encourage accountability, stop overspending and mismanagement and prevent excessive taxation. Rich Garant and Dora Bouboulis have indicated a capability and willingness to address these issues as well.
Therefore, we need to RE-ELECT Audrey Garfield to the Selectboard on Town Meeting Day, Tuesday March 6 and ELECT Rich Garant and Dora Bouboulis to take the vacant seats. I’ll vote for them! I hope you will too.
PLEASE VOTE …for a change.
Geedeepy