7 + 87 - 726

Okay, absent the sky falling, or something along those lines, I think the next hot topic is going to be the make up of the town government study committee.  At least for a couple of weeks.  

Well it sounds good anyway.  Its Monday.  Post Town Meeting syndrome setting in.  We have got to find something to wear the fingers down over, don't we?

I think everyone realizes that who gets appointed to this committee will determine whether it has any chance of success.  Unfortunately, whoever doesn't get appointed to this committee is going to go along way determining any chance of success.

I have the utmost faith in our Town Moderator to make good, sound choices.

Once those choices get made, let's all take a very deep breath and at least make a good faith attempt to sincerely analyse the picks before jumping to any conclusions about the same.  

I suggest we all resist the temptation to jump to conclusions about things, for once anyway.

I am sure we all have opinions on who should or shouldn't be on the committee.  I know I do.

A dozen people readily leap to mind as far as who should be on it and about fourscore and seven leap to mind as to who shouldn't be on it.

Take myself for example.  Definitely a should not.  Fin Com members have that pesky, and in this case very convenient, prohibition against serving on any other town board, committee or being a town employee (except the ad hoc/advisory thingies).  Since I don't have any inclination to take on double duty at this point, am not intending to resign to grab a seat, and quite frankly have no inclination anymore to study the issue, I would be a very poor fit at best.

I am not going to name names of any private citizens in either category.  Why poison the well one way or the other with that?

To a point, I agree with not appointing members of boards, etc.  It is a fairly limited point.  

I understand the concern about a committee with elected/appointed officials on it.  Such things are always a concern.  In this case, I believe it is a legitimate concern when one looks at having any sitting Selectman or BPW member appointed to that Committee.  I might even extend that concern out to anyone so sitting say in the last fiver years, just for the sake of avoiding the whole appearance of a vested/unbiased interest.

Why no such individual?

These are the two elected boards to be most directly affected by any change to be recommended, or not recommended.  Any member from these boards will have a direct interest, not matter how sincere their motivation, in the eventual recommendations.

Special care needs to be given to appointment of any elected official being placed on this committee also though, because a thorough study is going to involve potential changes across the board and will also involve such boards oversight of personnel and operation, even the school committee to an extent.

With that being said, you cannot realistically exclude all such people who serve.  There does need to be consideration given to the concept of having some people on such a committee who have a real working knowledge of the existing process.  You should not be leaving this to a purely citizens committee.

Absolutely have Mr./Ms. J. Q. Public represented.  The representation however should be based on more than just a simple desire to be on the committee.  Appointments to any committee, and to this one especially, need to be based on more than just a willingness to be serve.

And if you don't get appointed, "why not me" may be a legitimate gripe, but I hope you and everyone else will do some serious consideration as to why it wasn't you.

Before any one person rushes to apply, also keep in mind the commitment you will be making. If you don't have the time to be meeting at a minimum of once week for two to three hours  a week, and I would hazard a guess that for a good portion of the duration of the existence of this committee attending several meetings a week; if you cannot devote at least the same amount of time you will be meeting to studying the matters at hand each week; if you you aren't willing to change your present notions of what is or is not in need of change; please, do not apply.

Everyone also needs to keep in mind that the likelihood of a study recommendation that will be universally accepted has the same odds as I apparently do with buying a winning lottery ticket.  Quite frankly, if somehow a report comes out without any criticism, that may actually be enough reason to jettison it.

Whatever that recommendation is, I certainly hope we all take more time to read it and think about it then was obviously spent by some of those criticizing the DOR report.

Moving on for now ...

Let' see who can figure out the title to the post. Be quick, the contest ends at 8:00 P.M., May 6, 2013.  Attempts at wit and humor in answering may or may not get posted as comments, but to "win" must be submitted as comments. Correct answer to be posted tomorrow. What will you win?  Well depends on how many correct answers there are.

Time to go for today.  Be safe.