Wednesday - midweek status

Today's big event is the candidate's night at the Senior Center.  Time is 6:30 p.m.  If you can't make it tonight, be sure to catch the rebroadcasts.  Not sure of the format.  Believe it or not, I actually do not know everything (but keep that one under your hat please, doesn't do me any good for that to get around).

I hear that one often, that I think I know everything.  Let me state I am all too aware of exactly what I do not know.  I always get a kick out people telling me what I think.  What I usually think more often than not is more people should be worried about thinking for themselves, rather than worrying about figuring out what someone else is thinking.

While we are on the thought process, I have had one running through my ever cluttered mind over the past few weeks.  It became more dominant after last Thursday's breakfast forum for the selectman's contest, and has managed to push its way to the head of the pack, at least this morning.

What is it you might ask.  Well .. darn I forgot.  

Seriously.  It is the fact that if you (or at least me) sit and think about it, you have four gentlemen running who all have the potential to do the job.  What will obviously separate the winner from the rest in the mind of voters will be his presentation, ideas, and ability to get the voters interested.

This is the point when we all need to tighten those thinking caps an analyze exactly what each candidate brings to the table.  Potential is a wonderful thing.  It is good to have.  It is good to see.  It does not unfortunately equate to actual performance.

That is exactly what each voter will have to determine, who has the ability to perform.  

Do not discount this factor, do not ignore it.

For me a key ability, as important as the ability to get things done, is the ability to say no.  There are times when the negative decision will be more important than the positive.  There are times when whoever is elected will in fact have to face their supporters, look them in the eye, and should say no.  Whether they can or not will be the most significant quality they have or lack.

Having a bit of tact and charm will certainly help.  I have a friend who often tells me that there is nothing wrong with me that a charm school course couldn't cure.  Can't necessarily argue with that.  On occasion I perhaps lack the social graces.

Whoever is elected will need the ability to say no, and the ability to make the receiver of the bad news feel good about it.  It is something that needs to be done on occasion (the first part) and if you want more than one term something that is needed (the second part).

Just an opinion, but one that influences my personal decision.

Hard to gauge that quality in all the candidates at this point, especially when the field encompasses people who have not served in the particular office.  You as voters will need to do a bit of guess work.

What you shouldn't have to guess at is what are their intended plans, and more importantly exactly how they intend to implement them.  No one should be expecting the new selectman to enter office and cure all that may be wrong with a wave of his hand.  It won't happen, either under the way things are or under any alternate system you may envision.

Government, even at the local level is a very big wheel.  You can push it to make it turn faster, but there is always a speed limit.  Turn it too fast and you tend to lose control of it.  Don't push hard enough, you end up stalled.

And trust me, that wheel will be spinning over the next few months as concerns the budget, and will continue to turn on a number of other issue.  The biggest problem whoever is elected will be when they push one way, they are certain to encounter, at least occasionally, someone trying to push the other way.

But before anyone can get a chance at that wheel, they need to jump through the hurdles facing them.  Tonight is the first big test.  For all the candidates in all the races.  Be there if you can, and if not like I said, look for it on cable t.v., the government access channel 18.

Notes:  Congratulations to the High School Girl's basketball team.  While not the outcome we hoped for, they have proven once again their ability, desire, pure talent and sportsmanship.  We need to figure out their formula for working as a cohesive team.

All three candidates for school committee have posted statements on the school committee free form page.  These are their statements, and theirs alone.  Take a look, see what they have to say, use them as a starting point in making your decision if you like.