SouthCoast, Fairhaven and more ... or less

First ...

Let's touch on the Lakeville vote on the casino proposal.  I am going a bit from memory here, but ...

Twenty-Seven percent turnout at the polls, a 10 to 1 margin against the proposal.  Not too hard to gauge the local sentiment in Lakeville.  You can argue all you want about lack of time to get the information out, the deck being stacked (pardon the pun), apathy, disheartened supporters, or whatever else.

A twenty-seven percent turnout with a 10 to 1 margin, is a pretty good reflection of community feeling.

Taunton votes on the different proposal from a different tribe this Saturday I believe.  I am not going to make a prediction on that vote.  If it passes it will be because of several significant differences.  First and foremost, as was noted in the local daily, the Taunton proposal is more detailed and there has been better presentation to the community.

More importantly, Taunton is a whole different ball park.  While it has large tracts of "rural" areas, it still has an urbanized area.  The "city" portion  and the areas separated from the casino location, may be less sympathetic to maintaining the "rural character".  The "jobs" aspect has more appeal for the people of Taunton given the population.  The extra revenue becomes more significant to people who see it as an overall plus to maintain the more layers of service provided.

I could go on about the differences in demographics and other factors that may make the Taunton vote a positive one.  It is not a sure thing however.  

Time will tell.

One thing is pretty much certain.  Indeed you can pretty must start pouring the concrete to cast this one in stone.  The sate licensed casino for our area is not going to Freetown/Lakeville. The Aquinnah may end up with a casino, but it will be through federal involvement and a number of years after the three licensed ones are up and running.

You might ask why not New Bedford.  People seem to want it, the city wants it, great location.  There are significant reasons why New Bedford has not been able to land a casino.  

Fairhaven ...


A few interesting matters listed on tonight's selectmen agenda.

First is an appointment at 7:00 P.M. for the Office of Tourism move.  At a minimum, I suppose I have to set my DVR box for that one.  

The other is under discussion "Request for Town Counsel" .  That is it. No note as to who the request is from, but assuming it is the one for our newest selectman, hopefully this gets resolved tonight.  If it doesn't get resolved tonight one has to at this point wonder what the heck is going on.  Time to make a decision, one way or the other.  As discussed previously, there is merit to both sides of the issue.  

Yet whatever pluses or minuses to either position, the issue needs to be put to bed. 

And More ...

As in more electricity.  The solar farm for the dump specifically.  Unless there is something I am not aware of, and believe or not there is plenty of that, time to pull the plug on this one.  Not sure if that is going to be addressed tonight.  shouldn't be as it is not listed.  Matter may all ready have been decided.  Bottom line, this particular project, with or without the turbines, doesn't make enough cents.  

And More ...

Noise complaints for Down the Hatch are on the selectmen's plate tonight also.  Not sure what this is about.  Well yes it is about noise, but as to the specifics of the matter to be addressed not sure.  But this is always interesting.

And Just a little bit more ...

or less ...

Gas prices.   We are seeing a drop.  Yet as was noted to me recently, as as we I am sure have all observed, whatever drop we see or increase we see in Fairhaven, why is it that there are significant price differences in other areas.  I understand the basic concept behind the replacement cost concept and price and some other things thrown in as to how the price per gallon is determined, but it just seems a tad strange as to why there is usually a nickel plus difference in the price per gallon in Fairhaven vs. say certain areas of New Bedford and Dartmouth.  

In the bigger picture, gas prices are what is going to determine whether we dip back into a recession, stay stagnant or go on with a slow growth economy. 

Speaking of the bigger picture ...

According to the news article in the local daily today, page 3, we might all be seeing more bigger pictures.  Electronic billboards.  I can see the arguments against them.  To be honest, the arguments for them do not get me too excited.  

Quite frankly, from a personal perspective, the ones that are the "stop here" type, you know the only "5 miles on your left" and the lottery ones advertising the big jackpots (there it is, I am a sucker for the chance to win $100 million), those are the ones that grab my attention.

Can be quite effective.  I mean there is one road with a bunch of them on the way to a vacation spot we go once or twice a year that work.  After about 10 years of trips, we finally stopped at the place.  

The electronic ones, the ones where you have the ability to change the ad electronically, rather than send out a crew and replace what is there, well imagine one tall enough and well lit.  You might get to see three or four ads depending on visibility conditions and speed of travel.  

Do we as a society need electronic billboards, in an age of non-stop advertising on t.v. websites, and smart phone free apps?  The answer is no.  If you are the billboard industry, you most definitely need them.

If you are the driver on the highway, what the heck, might give you something to talk about on the phone if your conversation hits a snag.

That's it for today, more or less.