As we all know, the individual currently residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington is big into change. He has changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and he recently said he was going to change the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf. This will, no doubt, keep the map makers of the world busy, which is a good thing because nobody uses maps anymore. I am all for full employment!
Change is good. After all, we change our clothes every day. Some people change their hair color from time to time. Not me. I don’t have much, and grey is a nice neutral color.
Some folks even change their names and others change jobs quite frequently. We keep change in our pockets. No, sorry, that’s something different. My bride and I changed the color of our old house three times.
We even change our elected officials. That is the American way. Anyway, to change something is renewal and good for the soul.
Speaking of elected officials, an article in the recent Town Meeting warrant to change the number of Select Board seats from three to five passed overwhelmingly. Adding two new positions to the Board is an intriguing solution to a problem that has plagued small town elections for years – uncontested races.
Advocates won their case by convincing the voters in attendance that increasing membership would bring “a range of expertise…, encourage check and balances, and be more democratic.”
Historically it has been nearly impossible to get people to run for office. On every ballot there are uncontested races allowing incumbents to continue in their position without opposition. After all who wants to run against an incumbent. Sure, occasionally someone tries to unseat an incumbent, but we all know, incumbents never leave. Someone who ran before and lost can run unopposed, win and viola, they will join the ruling class without lifting a figure. Democracy in action!
I am an optimist. I’m sure hordes of townsfolks with expertise will be storming the Town Hall to take out nomination papers, eager to take on all the Town’s many problems that need to be addressed. Change is good.
So, there you go. I trust the repair of the town wharves, the Main Street/Water Street “Big Dig”, the need for affordable housing and all the other projects facing the town will move things along like never before.
Anyway, if the Select Board moves the proposal onto the state and if it is approved (and you can be sure it will be), we will now have the distinction of being one of the smallest towns with a five-member Select Board in the Commonwealth.
Based on my vast experience in government, I know that some big changes will be needed to implement this new arrangement. First the town will have to buy a new conference table. The current one seats only five comfortably…the three members, the town administrator and the Board’s secretary. They all sit on one side to accommodate the TV camera and the small audience of civic minded auditors (often only two news reporters).
I have carefully researched the cost of a brand-new table designed in the shape of a boat. (Appropriate don’t you think?) A beautiful 16ft. table, available in a choice of wood, can easily accommodate the two new board members. Of course, the town might have to remove a wall, but hey, it’s only money. According to OfficeFurniture2go.com this $3099 beauty is available now for $2179 with free shipping. So, hurry the approval process along, will ya. See, the addition of two news board members is saving the town money already.
You can’t have a new conference table without new chairs, right. No one would replace their dining room table and keep grandma’s old chairs. I haven’t priced out new chairs, but I would recommend a nice leather ergonomic design. With two more board members asking questions and offering their opinions, the meetings might go on late into the night and sitting that long is bad for the back.
Then there are the microphones. For hygienic reasons we wouldn’t want our town leaders exposed to any harmful viruses by sharing. Add eight new microphones to the list (one extra for anyone speaking to the Board. They can sit on the old chairs.)
Well, here’s looking up to a bright future of new ideas, more efficiency, and did I say new ideas?
When the new Board is done solving every issue, maybe we can change the name of Buzzards Bay to something more appealing.
Change is good.
Mattapoisett resident Dick Morgado is an artist and happily retired writer. His newspaper columns appeared for many years in daily newspapers around Boston.
Thoughts on…
By Dick Morgado