No pearls of wisdom today. It is not like you get real pearls most days anyway.
When you get right down to it, most opinion pieces, including the contents of this blog, seldom contain priceless gems. The pieces are no more than simply the opinions of the writer. It is important that everyone remember that.
Always do a little digging for yourself. That is when you might actually find something priceless.
I have received a number of e-mails on several different topics over the past week. While there was some stuff in the correspondence that might generate some interest, the most compelling things had info, but also stated that the same was not for publishing. So, that leaves those tidbits off the table.
This morning's Standard Times is no help as far as inspiration. Too lazy to go out and get the paper and the online version isn't loading for some reason.
What might be of some interest to all?
Town Government Study Committee moving along it seems. There is a page for the same on the Town's web site (thus the link in the preceding sentence). This might not interest every reader, but it should.
A quick read of the info on links on the page reveals the application process is open until June 7, 2013 at 4:30 P.M. If you want to serve, you will need to submit a letter of interest containing your contact info (see the links for specifics) and an explanation of why you are interested in serving on the Town Government Committee, what qualifications you may bring to the Committee and how you are knowledgeable in Town affairs.
The appointments to this committee will absolutely make or break the chances of any real reform. That is of course such an obvious statement. Yet it still needs to be said. Perception will determine the success or failure of the committee.
For myself, I would have preferred the approach in the DOR report. Get the town manager thing up and running then form a study committee, or charter committee to revamp the remaining structure. Had a chance to do that I suppose, but taking into account the process in getting to the vote on the article, the timing just wasn't right for it.
Timing is everything folks. If the timing is off just a bit, things just aren't going to happen. What was surprising is apparently the timing wasn't off by much, at least from my view of the hands that went up on this vote.
I think that is as much an indication of the fact a whole lot of people think change is needed. If there was a vote simply on that, it might have even mustered a 9/10th majority.
Getting to change will be another matter.
Some folk think all we need do is expand the Board of Selectmen from three to five members. From a bloggers perspective that would be the closest thing to insuring daily new topics as you could get.
I think the biggest problem to a Town Manager is it seems most people simply do not understand the position (I am am using manager. Call it what you want, the title is just that. It is the authority granted that makes the position, not the title).
One explanation for the position I have heard given is that the Executive Secretary is leaving, we will have difficulty filling that position with qualified people using that title. If you want to retain the Executive Secretary format, truth be told you won't have any difficulty filling the position, assuming all you were expecting was a true Executive Secretary.
The difficulty you will have is getting someone with the same ability, knowledge and similar experiences. Whatever overall "authority" the present Executive Secretary has, to a very great extent, is in fact based on his longevity.
Anyone expecting a new Executive Secretary to perform to the level and extent the present one does would be in for a rude awakening. Call it a cynics point of view, whoever the replacement is would last two years tops, and I personally would take the line for one year or less. Without any real authority, it will be like throwing chum in the shark tank.
If you want an inkling as to what is wrong with the current structure, take a look at the flow chart for it on page 6 of the DOR report. Look at it. See where the Executive Secretary position is and see just how many lines flow from that position.
You can study government until the cows come home. Unless and until you implement a structure where there is a direct line of authority on day to day administrative policy and procedure, you are simply biding time until the system collapses.
Remember, the decisions on what that policy and procedure would be are determined by your elected officials. The implementation and follow through however would fall on the administrator and manager, and for once there would actually be accountability for the failure to do so.
You will never truly remove politics from how government runs. But if you want to make it accountable, you need to make sure a system for accountability is in place.
Quite frankly the current Exec. Sec. position is the equivalent of the person charged with leading the horses to water. As the old saying implies, getting those horses to drink is an entirely different story.
So, our future will lay in the ability of seven town residents to meet, study and recommend what should happen. Seven is suppose to be a lucky number, let's hope it is.
Always do a little digging for yourself. That is when you might actually find something priceless.
I have received a number of e-mails on several different topics over the past week. While there was some stuff in the correspondence that might generate some interest, the most compelling things had info, but also stated that the same was not for publishing. So, that leaves those tidbits off the table.
This morning's Standard Times is no help as far as inspiration. Too lazy to go out and get the paper and the online version isn't loading for some reason.
What might be of some interest to all?
Town Government Study Committee moving along it seems. There is a page for the same on the Town's web site (thus the link in the preceding sentence). This might not interest every reader, but it should.
A quick read of the info on links on the page reveals the application process is open until June 7, 2013 at 4:30 P.M. If you want to serve, you will need to submit a letter of interest containing your contact info (see the links for specifics) and an explanation of why you are interested in serving on the Town Government Committee, what qualifications you may bring to the Committee and how you are knowledgeable in Town affairs.
The appointments to this committee will absolutely make or break the chances of any real reform. That is of course such an obvious statement. Yet it still needs to be said. Perception will determine the success or failure of the committee.
For myself, I would have preferred the approach in the DOR report. Get the town manager thing up and running then form a study committee, or charter committee to revamp the remaining structure. Had a chance to do that I suppose, but taking into account the process in getting to the vote on the article, the timing just wasn't right for it.
Timing is everything folks. If the timing is off just a bit, things just aren't going to happen. What was surprising is apparently the timing wasn't off by much, at least from my view of the hands that went up on this vote.
I think that is as much an indication of the fact a whole lot of people think change is needed. If there was a vote simply on that, it might have even mustered a 9/10th majority.
Getting to change will be another matter.
Some folk think all we need do is expand the Board of Selectmen from three to five members. From a bloggers perspective that would be the closest thing to insuring daily new topics as you could get.
I think the biggest problem to a Town Manager is it seems most people simply do not understand the position (I am am using manager. Call it what you want, the title is just that. It is the authority granted that makes the position, not the title).
One explanation for the position I have heard given is that the Executive Secretary is leaving, we will have difficulty filling that position with qualified people using that title. If you want to retain the Executive Secretary format, truth be told you won't have any difficulty filling the position, assuming all you were expecting was a true Executive Secretary.
The difficulty you will have is getting someone with the same ability, knowledge and similar experiences. Whatever overall "authority" the present Executive Secretary has, to a very great extent, is in fact based on his longevity.
Anyone expecting a new Executive Secretary to perform to the level and extent the present one does would be in for a rude awakening. Call it a cynics point of view, whoever the replacement is would last two years tops, and I personally would take the line for one year or less. Without any real authority, it will be like throwing chum in the shark tank.
If you want an inkling as to what is wrong with the current structure, take a look at the flow chart for it on page 6 of the DOR report. Look at it. See where the Executive Secretary position is and see just how many lines flow from that position.
You can study government until the cows come home. Unless and until you implement a structure where there is a direct line of authority on day to day administrative policy and procedure, you are simply biding time until the system collapses.
Remember, the decisions on what that policy and procedure would be are determined by your elected officials. The implementation and follow through however would fall on the administrator and manager, and for once there would actually be accountability for the failure to do so.
You will never truly remove politics from how government runs. But if you want to make it accountable, you need to make sure a system for accountability is in place.
Quite frankly the current Exec. Sec. position is the equivalent of the person charged with leading the horses to water. As the old saying implies, getting those horses to drink is an entirely different story.
So, our future will lay in the ability of seven town residents to meet, study and recommend what should happen. Seven is suppose to be a lucky number, let's hope it is.
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