Lessons

I will start out today with a note of remembrance for those injured and who lost their lives as a result of the senseless act on Monday and the continued violence of the fugitives responsible. I will add a note of great appreciation and pride that the individuals responsible are a threat no longer as a result of the determined effort of law enforcement.

Whatever individual motivation may have existed for the bombing, whatever hoped for gain, the reaction, determination and solidarity of the people of the Commonwealth and our nation should be a lesson well heeded by those who feel such acts will accomplish anything for them or their cause.

Respectfully moving on ...

 

We have reached the calm before the storm point as far as Town Meeting. Absent any significant surprises, or last minute theatrics, we have come to the point where you can just about phone in the votes.

The funny thing about Town Meeting though is you never can be sure about anything. So for the same reason you play the games each Sunday afternoon, you hold Town Meeting.

A potential disaster with the mailing of the warrant & recommendation booklets was averted through fast action by the Selectmen's office. Hats off to AK for making sure.

You should be getting the Town Meeting documents in the mail soon.

As mentioned a day or two ago, the recounts for the Board of Health and Planning Board (one year unexpired) races will be Monday and Tuesday.

Wednesday will see the second public hearing held on the DOR report and articles being driven by the same.  

So were do we stand as a Town? Pretty much near the edge in many ways.

We are far enough away from the drop where no one one needs to panic about being pushed over the cliff, but close enough where caution needs to be taken when contemplating taking another step toward the edge.

Prop. 2 1/2 is catching up with Fairhaven.  It really does come down to simple math.  Sooner or later if your expenses climb at a higher rate than your ability to raise revenues something has to give. 

Our Town has been able to do a bit of a better balancing act than many communities of similar demographics. 

In many ways that is the biggest problem the Town faces. Its ability in the past to meet its needs.  There are too many people and groups that believe this will continue to happen each year.

There seems to be the assumption that every year we can find a way. Having been a member of the scouting party searching for that way for a number of years, I call tell you the terrain we are going to have to travel in the very near future is going to be all uphill and less than smooth.

I know, we have heard the same position for a number of years. It becomes difficult for people to accept the argument when they don't see it play out.  Nonetheless the terrain has been on a steady incline for some time now, even if not everyone has noticed it.

There are reasons why we have been able to find what seems the more "comfortable" path. Those reasons also explain why we haven't hit that proverbial brick wall head on to this point in time.

We have been very fortunate in many ways.  As is the case in many things that fortune has been a result of both design and luck.  Never discount luck, and never forget the design.

What is one of the town's mottoes?  Fairhaven, a small town with a big history.  

Come May 4, 2013, we will begin writing the next chapter in that history, no matter what the eventual outcome of the article votes.