Date: 3/25/2016
Sometimes I think it is just a bad dream, but then the sun comes up and memories of recent days come back to haunt us. The town has been front-page news for a number of days. How can this be? Our great town has been thrown into a web of corruption and deceit at the hands of just a few people that have been elected to serve and protect our interests.
For whatever reason, Selectmen Thorpe and Gorman appear to have chosen a path of destruction and have decided to take all of us on their journey. Their actions of late (March 16 selectmen meeting) prove that they care only for themselves and the term “Team Corruption” that they previously campaigned to defeat, is alive and well within our midst. So dear residents, where do we go from here?
The good news is, that while Thorpe and Gorman were apparently teaming up together, the rest of the town departments have continued to focus their energies on the mission of East Longmeadow within the departments they have been elected and appointed to serve. The “cancer” is within the executive branch of our government, the Board of Selectmen. Official investigations continue and while there is risk of learning more, there is also hope that the town will learn enough about what is playing out to address what is happening and end it. The town needs answers. The town needs time to heal. Most importantly, the town needs to restore faith in its elected leaders.
At the April 12 Town Election, we the residents will have an opportunity to consider changing East Longmeadow’s form of government. Some think this will treat “the cancer” and perhaps they are correct. My concern is that while we may stop the bleeding in one spot, other wounds may open up elsewhere.
For whatever reason, East Longmeadow has not been able to attract good and qualified candidates to run for public office. The proposed charter cannot guarantee that we will. The proposed charter also cannot guarantee that the town will be free from corruption and backroom politics. It is the people who bring self-serving bad behavior to the table and not our form of government. The charter change will transfer the power and authority of the town meeting to a council of seven members and with that, the actions of just four (a simple majority) could easily be making decisions for you.
Until the town can restore its faith in the leaders we elect, I am unable to support this proposal and will vote no for the charter. The town needs to preserve the Town Meeting. Throughout this entire corruption ridden “bad dream,” the town meeting process has remained untarnished, unscathed, unblemished and corruption-free.
Our government was good once and it can be good again. If you share these concerns, please consider joining me by voting no for the Charter.
We are East Longmeadow strong!
Marilyn Richards
East Longmeadow
