Always a bit late.

Throw all the rhetoric out that you want.  Dig your heels in. Draw lines in the sand.  I suggest everyone read today's piece in The Standard Times and the little blurb at the very end about the "other" close race that took place in the recent town election.  Skip to the very end.  

Farrell said he thought his oath was secondary to the vote tally and said he would step aside if a recount showed Melanson had actually won. 

"I stand behind the voters, whether I was sworn in or not," he said.

As one voter I say, "Thank you Mr. Farrell!"

By the way, if you question the integrity of the election outcome after a recount, I certainly hope you are questioning the integrity for each and every single position affected by a "faulty" election.  

If a ballot is no good for one race, why should it stand for any other?

Quite frankly, I think both candidates in this "hot" one best be hoping if a new election is called, the new election is limited to only them.

On another note, one I think needs to be clarified about an article in the FNN, Fin Com members were asked to take at look at the fence at Macomber Pimental Field for reconsideration, not the proposed work at Livsey Park (which has been recommended).

I suppose some of you may be anticipating some discussion about last nights public hearing on the DOR report.  

I think it was a good first step. One taken more than a bit late, but as with most things better late than never.

The draft of the proposed legislation for the town administrator position was posted online, during a recess of the meeting (so go to the town website to find it).  

Is a town administrator needed?  I have stated my position previously and will again state I believe such a position is needed, and is in fact something that should have occurred years ago.  

Why?  In a nutshell, the day to day operations of town government have expanded greatly over the past 25 years or so since the last change in government (to an executive secretary).  Matters need to be addressed on a day to day basis.  Think about running your business or doing your job and an issue comes up and you go to your supervisor and being told you have to wait until the next meeting of the board of directors for an answer.

Such a position does not take the responsibility for policy decisions and goals away from the selectmen.  

It does not give the authority to guide the town to an appointed official.  

What it does is give someone the ability to make the day day decisions needed within the frame work established by the board.

Point blank, except in extremely limited and emergency situations, no member of any elected board has any authority to make decisions unilaterally, to instruct any town employee unilaterally, to take any action unilaterally, nor should they.

I don't have the time today to go into a fill blown point for point analysis.  Not sure I would ever have the time or space.

To paraphrase Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, I shall not today attempt further to define the needs of the Town I understand to be embraced within the proposed change and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know a need when I see it. 

I do see a need.  I have now seen a more detailed proposal that the draft article presents and it is a  very good starting point.  Whether the final version would meet the need does have to wait on that final version.

I hate to end it here, but I am out of time today. A late start for me too.

Be safe.