Quick pick option or do you choose?

Wednesday night is the NFIA candidates night.  Rumor mill has it if you were a bit surprised at the tone from the govt. access channel candidate's night, wait until Wednesday.  

There are always a few surprises at this one.  First the questions get submitted (for the most part) from the public.  If I remember correctly the "press" also is allowed to throw one or two in there.

Look for a few submitted questions specifically geared to make a particular candidate look bad.  Trust me, people stay up nights thinking about these things.  

I have "asked" a few potential questions via the blog.  I know that is not the way to submit the questions, but hey I think the ones I asked are the obvious ones (in my universe anyway). 

Overall, absent a really significant bombshell being dropped, this election is probably going to be specifically decided by level of turnout.  The incumbents are all pretty safe if the turnout level stays at 15% or less.  Between 15% and 20%, the most likely level based on the political fever thermometer as of right now it becomes a bit sketchy.  Over 20% and look for some surprises.

Bottom line:  Who the heck really knows.  The last few years really has turned political wisdom on its head, at least what passes for wisdom in my guidebook.

The biggest excitement for me will be to see what articles are being submitted for the special town meeting.  Holding true to form, the warrant for the annual was not set until the last minute.  There were a few late scratches from the line-up, along with a last minute insertion.  

What bothers me most about last minute insertions is the simple fact that I seriously doubt that the average citizen would have the same option to get something placed on the warrant as those in government.  

Anyway, I was discussing the special wasn't I.

We may know what is being proposed as soon as tomorrow night.  My guess is at best it would be in general terms.  The Selectmen's agenda notes they will be setting the meeting dates for hearings on the DOR report.  

I will not be available March 26th, 28th, April 1st, 4th, 11th or 18th and the 25th is also possibly out, as is May 2nd. Just in case someone was looking for an easy night.

The deadline for STM articles is March 21, 2013 at 4:00 P.M.  That means you need to get your articles with signatures in at that time.  Good luck.

This will be the most interesting first Saturday in May in a long time.  It at least most definitely has that potential.  I realize the past few years there have been a number of hot topics.  Yet as one approached the date for the Town Meetings (annual and special) the pulse rate was pretty much set.  The relatively new procedures for addressing the issues at town meeting may in fact enable matters to be concluded in a single session.

Quite frankly I think the tone will be set with the very first proposal related to the changes been driven by the DOR report.  

I know, I know, this is just a rehash of old stuff, but important old stuff that should have been subject to public hearings a very long time ago.  Our board of selectmen has declared its support for  a number of recommendations at a point in the past that seems like an eternity (and admittedly is a bit shorter).  

So the public hearings are going to be either to address specific board proposals drafted prior to the hearings, which may or may not be redrafted within the month or so prior to town meeting; or, will result in drafts after the hearing submitted to the public in an extremely short time span prior to the meetings.

What may when the day?  

Any article, or a vote that can be fashioned from an article specifically dealing with combining the town treasurer and collector positions could and should.  The town manager position, if I had to make a bet, will not pass.  

It will fail not so much as a result of true opposition as from lack of adequate time for people to deal with and digest its implications and the actual proposal.  There is a chance for it, but that becomes directly related to the actual proposal and until it can be seen and reviewed by all, I wouldn't be betting for it.  

Point blank what is going to scuttle most of the anticipated proposals will any proposal to form a study committee.  Again a bit of prognostication on my part, however at this point rushing things, even a very sound proposal isn't going to be easy, and may not be wise.

The only way this "new" system works is with acceptance by a strong majority.  

Please, leave the Town of Dartmouth out of this by the way.  What's going on in Dartmouth is not an apples to apples comparison.  Competing philosophies about change not only having gone to far, but not far enough.  Also, it is not an uncommon backlash for a relatively new form of government to be questioned.  

If there is change in Fairhaven, you need to realize in about three to five years you will see the same chatter.  Some people will miss the old system, and in many instance the old chain of command for more personal reasons than town wide reasons. 

But I digress.  Before we even get to that battle, we have to wage the first one.  

Admittedly I was all for the "do the strong town manager first" and hand in hand do a study for the rest of the structure.  That zeal has subsided somewhat, for a great many reasons.  I am leaning more and more toward do the study first.  

I at some point I will get in more specifics as to the why the shift.  I will wait a bit as I do want to see what the proposal(s) will actually be.  It is absolutely possible I could be pleasantly surprised with the same.  Of course, I could win the lottery too.

that's it for today.  Be safe.