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Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Another small step

There is a selectboard meeting today. Yes, on a Tuesday. Yes, following one held just last week.

More on that in a minute.

Last time I think I noted how it looked like everything was going smooth sailing in the legislature for the TA article. Well that was based on an assumption of normal procedure. As usual however, normalcy in Fairhaven takes a different path.

Seems the TA article did not get the rubber stamp from the Senate last week.  There was another informal session held yesterday.  Not sure what transpired, just do know that the process took a slight detour last week anyway.

Lesson learned here, or a reminder of a well worn principle concerning what happens when one assumes. 

Anyway ...

Back to the meeting for tonight. Scheduled for 8:00, and interestingly enough having an end time actually inserted for 8:30, is an "appointment" to discuss the Rogers-Oxford RFP including the NFIA lease. Apparently this 1/2 slot is the significant time being set aside to address the RFP issue as was report as being stated at last week's meeting.

Being the last appointment scheduled, perhaps the time frame is an attempt to frame the debate only, rather than be a strict allotment.  We will find out.

As important as this issue is, the first appointment of the night concerns future polling places. PLEASE NOTE: changes if voted will not take effective until after the November election. That means in the normal time line April. So no need to panic or start calling about where you go to vote in November!!!!!

This one could in fact be interesting.  I have heard rumors relative to to sites.  The same involve cutting the polling places down from 5 to 3 with an interesting suggestion of putting 3 precincts into 1 location, 2 in another and 1 solo precinct in the third.

There have been some well worn arguments/points about a citizen's duty to vote made in previous blogs.  The same will apply no matter what.  Here is another point though, and hopefully one that is always kept in mind when making such decisions.

Voting should not become an onerous task due to the acts of government.  Steps, no matter how good the intention should never be taken which should be apparent as to the outcome of making the process more burdensome.

Over and over again I have said every complex problem has a simple solution, and it is usually wrong. Here is hoping for an exception to that rule.

Okay, time for my favorite pet peeve of the day.  Note the use of the term "pet peeve of the day". Quite frankly there are probably not enough of days in a year to deal with all of them.

People who ask a question then argue with the answer. Don't want to hear it, don't ask.  Only willing to accept your point of view, don't ask. Even worse, is asking a question under the premise you don't know, and then arguing with the answer.  If you don't know, what are you arguing about?

Just a nagging little burr.

Anyway ...

Enough. Be safe.

2 comments:

  1. Don't think reducing or increasing polling places will change the voting mindset.You vote no matter how many polling place there are. Its our duty to do many things ,but we don't.TA in the senate for a vote,maybe they think ,let the town run like it is.Kudos to Mr.Benac for acting on the butt spitton at town hall and getting results they should have been made years ago.The tobacco regs.are in the towns health laws but were ignored by its employees an employers..

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  2. Well the polling places won't change, for awhile anyway. Appointment was cancelled. You know my position on the TA, yet under our wonderful laws, including the homerule concept, it shouldn't be up to the senate to determine whether we can change; although if that body has found something more than 10% wrong well ... let us at least know that. I might extend the kudos too if motive was truly the location of the butt spittoon. Been one there forever, and the red fireplug wasn't any prettier than then brass sculpture. But moving it was in fact the right thing to do, so no argument about moving it from me.

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