Weekend Blips - Fairhaven, South Coast and More

South Coast blip

The S-T did a follow-up on their commuter rail story mentioned in yesterday's post.  You will all be pleased to know that according to today's story it is reported that the South Coast rail funding is still on track.  Using my read on the story, it will be here sometime after 2016.  After how many decades we having been waiting, what's another 4, 5, 6, or so years minimum.

Fairhaven election blip

Counting today, three more weekends for the candidates to be out for visibility.  If you don't know what visibility is, drive by the Route 6 and Alden Road and 240 intersections, or perhaps Benoit Square today around 11:00 a.m.  That is usually prime time for it (although it usually starts earlier and runs later).  I don't have the  exact locations for the candidates.  Check out their facebook or web pages, they usually post the times and locations.

If you do make the trip, you will see the candidates and their supports out holding signs.  This is visibility. There is a lot of discussion about the true benefit from doing this.  Every year you see it happen.  Every year you wonder whether it it is effective and if not doing it can affect the outcome.

My opinion, the upside to doing it is it helps build cohesion among your supporters.  People working together at what is a less than glamorous task, in conditions less than ideal (spring time in the morning is seldom a pleasant time to be out standing still holding a sign, sun shining or not) does have a way getting people to meld together.  You also do get your name out there.  Most importantly, it does draw attention to the fact there is an election coming up.

The downside, well when you got a whole lot of people for a whole lot of candidates, jockeying for limited space, you end up with the clutter factor.  It often becomes difficult for the passerby to distinguish names on signs, who is running for what, and you can run the risk of burning out your supporters if you do too much.

Overall, looking at both sides of the coin, it is something that has to be done.  It is expected. Many people still feel it is a sign (no pun intended) of a candidate's willingness to work for the office.  Some people will look to the number of signs you have out to gauge your support; others will look to who is actually willing to hold your signs for you; and others will look to where those sign holders are from. The three can mean something (how many; who they are; do they live in Fairhaven).

Again factors that will influence some, not all.

In the end, the bottom line is still getting those people to go and vote.

Right now, offering up what is truly based on unscientific data, you probably have about 700 to 900 people who all the candidates combined have gathered into strong supporters.  These are people who have in one way or another aligned themselves with the various campaigns.  Some have committed to candidates in multiple races (some of them actually supporting opponents in the same race), others have limited themselves to a single race. These are the people the candidates probably feel extremely confident in being to count on their vote.

The actual core campaign committees are probably 5% of that amount, if lucky.  And I am talking about the Selectman's race.  The other races will have about half that amount.  Core supporters are the bread and butter of any campaign.  They do the bulk of the organizing and day to day campaign work.

Now I know everyone is going to say they have much more support than that.  If in fact you do, fantastic for you.  If you weed out family members, BFFs, and out of towners (everyone has them), an do the math, for the most part I think you will find the numbers aren't that far off.

So why the detail on supporter numbers, well because even if you can gain a handful of strong supporters from sign holding, the return on that level becomes significant.  At this point, the body count of people willing to work is as important as the money you have been able to raise.

Money being raised is always an interesting thing.  First campaign reports are due on the 8th day before the election.  It will be interesting to see who has raised what and who has spent what.  

T.M. blip

What else today?  I am getting reports that some have plans for interesting articles to be submitted for the STM held within the ATM.  Absent a budget agreement between the various entities and departments, it is already going to a very long day, if not several day, TM.  You might want to know what is planned, at this point until something is submitted, no sense in doing a disservice to anyone by discussing what amounts to guess work on the actual proposals.

Misc. blips

a.

The Charter commission petition drive is in fact still active.  It is intended to shift gears after the election.  As each day passes, as I continue to remain firm in my believe that this is needed.   As I have said before, it is an idea that has been in my mind, and that of others, for several years.  The only regret I have about the idea is not having tried to do something sooner.  There isn't much I feel I need to apologize for in the "public" sector aspect of my life, but not having tried to do something sooner on this front seems to be one thing that I am at least kicking myself for not doing, and perhaps should say mea culpa.

b.

The one positive thing every candidate for office seems to agree on is the need to improve communications, and access to information.  The town seems to be in the process of doing that right now.  But more can be done, should be done.  Granted whatever gets done will never be enough for some, but whatever can be done reasonably/realistically should be.