Well two days off from blogging.  Actually more like a day and a half.   I had a piece done for yesterday, just didn't seem to fit so it didn't get published.  So I am taking a "1/2? day credit.  Anyway

You know it is been a "long"  snow season when you start reading blurbs in the newspaper about plow driver's being hit in the head with a shovel. Snow removal is a pain folks.  If that little furry rodent or whatever it is was right, four more weeks to go. 

If there is one plus to the weather, it is keeping silly season in its normal old time frame.  All though for this up coming election, it seems there isn't too much out there at this point.  Two contested races on tap.  B of H and selectmen.  Tomorrow is the last day for turning in the nomination papers.

Just by the "size" of the contested field, the winter landscape will remain a bit less cluttered this year as far as the signage.  The recent snowfall should push the signs going in the ground back at least a week, or at least until the mounds all melt enough for the signs to actually be seen.

Anyway .. I don't anticipate there will be a whole lot of them.

The official cycle of candidates night will be starting up soon. A new group has been added to the mix to start holding candidates nights. I should say candidate night.  One at a time to address its members and the general public who attend.

Selectmen are meeting Wednesday and Thursday this week.  Thursday is a special 5 o'clock edition meeting with the Big "4".

Town Government Study Committee (TGSC) is also meeting Wednesday and Thursday.

We are by necessity to see a whole lot of things begin to shift into high gear.  If i am doing the math right, just 75 days until the Annual Town Meeting. While it is a pretty light warrant, there will be some notable issues, mainly the 4 proposed articles from the TGSC.  If all 4 articles go forward, it will/could be an interesting meeting.

Appointment of a Town Administrator, "revamp" of the BPW, Capital Planning Committee and an IT strategy plan.  I believe those are the 4. Or close enough at this point since the same are still in the "place holder" format.

Anyway ... the STM within the annual seems to be getting some attention to.

Unless you are an advocate of the "it ain't broke don't fix it" concept, any change in town is going to require a consolidation of some sort of the "day to day" authority in town.  I am not talking about all the wonderful concepts of policy and procedure.  Day to day.

I had a very interesting conversation with someone on regionalization.  I all ready knew this person's position on the Town Administrator (against).  All for regionalism though.  Ticked off all the reasons.  Consolidation of effort, economy of scale (i.e. the more efficient less costly stuff).  Willing to cede local autonomy too.

So I asked.  I had to ask. How is centralizing the workings, authority for that any different than the Town Administrator concept?

The answer was, well it just is.

The fact is very few people actually believe that there is no need for changes.  The problem, as always is when the change affects them, be it their favorite thing, their own board, or their individual department. Change is good, so long as I don;t have to change seems to be the mantra.

Then of course we have to deal with the proposals for change.  We will of course, when we get them.

The biggest change needed in this Town is in the philosophy area.  Too much gets done simply because of the "do it because we can" attitude and too little gets changed because of the "that's how we have always done it" mentality.

I am constantly amazed at how that argument is presented, year in and year out by some.  Even if the reasons why we started doing something one way, no longer exist.  Even if a completely new set of circumstances exist.

You hear it too, I am sure.

Unfortunately out of time.  

Be safe