| Maybe it is time for our town to think about changing our form of government. As Town Residents, we basically want a good quality of life, along with the majority of our interests represented, and our tax dollars wisely spent. As a resident of this town for the past 25 years, I have seen many changes to the town. Our elected officials for the most part seem to represent the majority interest of its towns people, and I am sure work diligently to do so. I want to clarify something. An Annual Town Meeting, Is an once a year meeting, where its townspeople come together to review a proposed budget, and accounting there of, along with vote on needed "business issues,"correct? This is like a Profit and Loss Statement or even a Stock Holders meeting. Correct? Our elected officials, should have had enough of time and preparation to have all needed materials with them at the meeting, correct? Then why am I asking the following questions? Why did one Town Official not have answers readily available when asked budget questions such as "How much are we paying in legal fees (meaning billable hours)?" The answer, "I don't know," is not acceptable. Where is the accountability? How was this legal person chosen? What was the criteria? Why should some of our elected officials be allowed to show some sign of frustration, be it a rolling of the eyes, comments, or what ever, when asked to account for, clarify, or just expand on a definition of some line or warrant item? How can persons be turned away from a meeting? How can a meeting not start on time, or have so much business crammed into it, that it cannot feasible be discussed with the size of registered voters present? (Meaning a block of time of 3 to 4 hours). Most of us at this meeting were up at the crack of dawn, put in a 10 hour day, and had to go home and still tend to our families need, after this meeting. Again for the most part our elected officials work hard at what they do, but this is the day and the age where we are all accountable for our actions. A la ENRON. Most of us are rubbing two nickels together to make dollars, pay tuition bills, increased tax bills, fuel bills, etc. So I take exception when questions are asked, and the response is "I don't know," or enough time is not budgeted to accomplish an important task, such as the future of this town. So maybe as towns people we need to look at a form of government, where government or governing the needs of a growing town is a full time accountable job. Sign me, looking for accountability, Laura Bogdanowicz Longmeadow |
