Leaders, Administrators and Dinosaurs #2

During some of the comments and suggestions I offered during the Recall process, here are a few that might seem significant:
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1. I made the suggestion that the Town discuss a separate Water/Sewer Committee.
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There was an immediate knee-jerk response from some, sputtering and spewing about how some elected positions were unopposed on the ballot and it was difficult to fill positions, and so on.

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The naysayers had filled in the blanks in their own minds, perhaps hearing the echo, and decided it was unworkable.

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At no time did I fill in the details.

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Allow me to fill in some of those details at this time.

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The BOS, according to the Town Charter, is charged as Water Commissioners.

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Since the failure of the Middleboro BOS to act as Water Commissioners DELAYED the real estate tax bills being sent, a logical person -- a taxpayer -- might consider that a change made sense.

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The Middleboro BOS was told by the retiring Town Manager that the BOS NEEDED TO RAISE THE WATER RATES.

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Since those Real Estate Tax Bills were delayed by more than 4 months, what did that cost you, the taxpayer? $150,000? $200,000?

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How about if we initiate a discussion about a Water/Sewer Committee, composed of 3 people who are appointed and meet quarterly to ADVISE the BOS of necessary changes, future projects, status of current projects, and so on?

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One of those members could even be a Selectman and the others could be the Water and Sewer Superintendents.

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We might have avoided the recent fiasco.

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And there are other things they might consider as well. Maybe they could even consider posting their statistics on a regular basis on the Town's Web Site, instead of merely annually in the Annual Report.

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2. One of the suggestions I would have offered in my closing statements at Candidates' Night, had they been allowed, was a LICENSING COMMITTEE.

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Those knee-jerk naysayers are already sputtering at that suggestions, but allow me to go even further.

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Anyone who watched the former Town Manager prepare and present his lists of assorted town licenses and inspections that were required for the January 1st renewal date, had to recognize that the system or lack of system was dysfunctional.

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Let's say we discuss an appointed COMMITTEE that might meet quarterly to streamline the process and open the communication between departments to simplify coordination.

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Let's say we consider including on that COMMITTEE those who are regularly involved: the Town Clerk, the Health Agent, the Town Treasurer/Collector, a BOS member, Town Manager.

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We might even take a look at how other towns have handled the regularly renewed licenses. We might copy success.

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After watching the BOS' attempt to correct a major flaw in the process on Monday, January 28, 2008, after allowing a restaurant to serve food and liquor without licenses for almost a month, might we have avoided that embarrasment?

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