Even when whining isn't accomplished in whining tones and doesn't have comparable laments, it's still whining.
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The Commonwealth and each and every municipality in the Commonwealth, with several exceptions, will confront major fiscal problems in the coming 2 years.
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To hear Mr. Spataro 'whine' about the budget shortfalls at this late date as an argument to oppose CPA (Community Preservation Act) does not negate that he has been slumbering during most of his term.
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His most recent 'compression' theory about calling a Special Town Meeting for the sole purpose of a Charter change to mandate a 'Public Safety Director' seems to have been discarded as a whim.
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Some might have noticed that Selectman Spataro was the sole occupant at the Selectmen's table when the October 20, 2008, Special Town Meeting failed to achieve a quorum.
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When the STM (Special Town Meeting) was reconvened the following week and achieved a quorum, Mr. Spataro was NOT in attendance.
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When STM reconvened, had the Board of Selectmen included the warrant article that has been customary about establishing committees and hearing committee reports (someone neglected to inform the new Town Manager about this maybe), Selectman Spataro could have introduced his warrant article regarding a single issue Charter Commission to consider a 'Public Safety Director.'
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Taking serious consideration of a 'Public Safety Director' one step further, it would be suggested that voters actually watch the BOS meeting.
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Former Selectman Lincoln Andrews condemned CPA because of supporters' failure to have an appointed study committee, public discussion and lengthy debate regarding CPA.
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So how does the Mr. Spataro's slap dash approach to amending the Town Charter somehow seem consistent with Mr. Andrews' position on CPA? Where was the Study Committee for the 'Public Safety Director'?
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NOTE TO NEWCOMERS: When all else fails, watch the BOS appoint a Study Committee. Much like Congress, you'll never hear the results, see the report or know about the meetings. There was a Study Committee appointed to ..... another day!
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Don't forget that Mr. Spataro has been sleeping through most of his tenure on the BOS, so instead of addressing the issue of a 'Public Safety Director' let's say two (2) years ago when it might have made sense, he suddenly rallied around that flag, knowing he was up for re-election in April 2009.
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As far as Mr. Spataro's current lament about the cash shortfalls within the Town, where have you been, Steve? You had opportunities to save taxpayer dollars that you slept through. Maybe you were text messaging when the opportunities presented themselves.
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Let's just say a Green Committee had been created by the Town of Middleboro when other municipalities were doing just that. Could you have saved 10%? 20%?
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And Steve, how about the Pathetic Town's Web Site (PTWS - a term coined by an anonymous admirer of the Town's IT Department)? Might that have reduced foot traffic and phone calls to the Town's offices were it user friendly? and in doing so, maybe allowed information to flow more smoothly? A cost savings, maybe?
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The Middleboro School Superintendent stood before the BOS last year and when reviewing his line item budget, said of energy costs that they couldn't be reduced. It's strange how that pronouncement changed.
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There were and are opportunities to save tax dollars. But let's follow Mr. Spataro, wait until the last minute when your options are exhausted, whine and do nothing.
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Bad government at its best!
11 comments:
I won't tell you my name because I'm embarassed that I voted for Steve and Mimi. Tonights meeting made me understand that my vote is important and I can't vote for people like this. The vote was wrong about the letter to the Mashpee even if you want the casino. The deal is with the money men and not the tribe. This is complicated and I dont understand but know that their are more prison sentenses coming. We don't want this here.
Lincoln Andrews made up the number that 10% of land was open space. He's posting anonymously and criticizing you as a liar, what about him?
Why do people belive him? I watched him on the Board and thought he was worse than Spatero. Someone said Lincoln Andrews was going to run for the Board again. Are the people he went to school with that parochial? I can't believe this town.
One day, I saw Mr. Spataro in downtown and wanted to talk to him about something that the board talked about. It wasn't important because I can't tell you what it was but when I crossed the street he ran away. He doesn't know me so why would he run? I was upset. Why wouldn't he talk to me? I voted for him.
Mr. Spataro had a problem attending G&E meetings so who elected him to the BOS? His actions on the G&E saved a few jobs. Figure it out. campaign slogan - save someones job spatero
Quite accurate, and quite appropriate. Need new blood on that board...NOW. Get him out if that seat before he does real damage.
Will Steve be heading the new committee if it takes place? Why did Brian resign from the casino club? Is he considering running for selectman? Did he finally come to realize the casino was never to the best interest of the town? Maybe Jack Healy will run for selectman. Now that would be funnier than any other stupid move he's made in his failed career.
All anons,
I can't predict the future or who the candidates will be, but I can
tell you that unless you watch, participate, get involved and
vote, this is what you'll get.
Town Meeting offers a form of government that predates the existence of this country.
How truly inspiring!
Yet, we can't get a quorum.
In my small way, I have attempted to explain how town government works, and how Middleboro's town government isn't working. I've also tried to provide the resources on the right of the screen to locate some of the information.
If you have a question, ask it. If you don't want to ask publicly, log into the nemasket discussion forum -- the link is on the right of this screen and ask for an explanation.
People ask me questions all the time about what went on at Town Meeting. If you don't understand, get up and ask a question.
Although we'll loose Jim Thomas as moderator after all the time we took training him, he made sure that the audience understood what they were voting on and whether it was the motion or the motion to amend and so on.
As town assets were sold to balance the budget under the Healey/Perkins/Brunelle reign, most voters were oblivious. That's like selling your furniture to pay for food.
As everyone knows, my focus has been primarily on the energy savings that the Town has missed out on.
The Town and the G&E have also missed the opportunity to inform residents of the energy savings that can be achieved.
Since the 'Trash Fee' is a recurring issue that remains unresolved, I might offer a piece of trivia for consideration.
One of my 'Pet Peeves' has been
'Junk Mail.'
The 2007 Annual Report indicates on Page 27 that the SEMASS fees for the previous year were
$143,000. That figure doesn't include the truck fuel consumption or other associated costs.
Those 'Trash Fees' are either mailed quarterly or stickers are sold.
Let's say a 'mailing' was included with each quarterly trash fee and with each set of stickers sold that informed residents how to reduce their 'Junk Mail.' Let's say we targeted the issue to reduce SEMASS costs. How much 'junk mail' gets recyled or tossed? If you view the sheer volume of mail that's being delivered, it's staggering!
Other towns tackled the 'low hanging fruit' first and Middleboro needs to start with the appropriate leadership.
Demanding 'Compression' or grandstanding for a 'Public Safety Director' isn't leadership.
Democracy isn't a spectator sport.
Get involved.
Do something.
Today I went looking for information that should be on the "PTWS" (good name!) and am really disgusted. I spent an hour looking for it before I wasted my time and the town employee's time getting the information. And since I pay for the employee's time also, it's ridiculous.
Has anyone thought of firing the man? That's what private industry would do. Oh, I forgot that he's a selectman's husband so we can't discuss incompetence.
3 members live in the center of town and have town water-Marsha, Steve, Adam. Mimi doesn't live in town but hubby has a business in the center of town so she must be drinking the water. The water needs to be tested to see what's in it that causes stupidity. It's not just the Casino Kood Aid. That's the problem! :}
There's no one on the BOS I would ever vote for again.
But I think the comment about Brian ever giving up on the casino coming is wrong. I hope he's not thinking about running because he's an Adam clone and too blinded by his ego. We don't need 2 on the BOS.
But Jack Healey? Now that would be funny!
I can't watch the meeting to the end because I have to leave the room. Who voted for those women on the board? Send Mimi home to bake cookies. The later never attended a town meeting before she got elected. She didn't know anything about CPA. Give Marsha back her gavel. It's the only thing she's good at.
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