Saturday, October 13, 2007

Shots fired!


Well the crusty old Gazette was a tad optimistic yesterday saying I had collected almost as many signatures as necessary. Actually by close of business yesterday the Town Clerk certified 33 signatures, while throwing out about half-dozen (couldn’t read the name or giving a P.O. Box for address rather than mailing address).

Although they did give me a weird look when I handed in the first sheet with the warrant article text writing in bright red ink.

And while I don’t mind the term “self appointed troublemaker for the Select board” (what about the Town Manager?) I prefer “conservative watchdog.”

By Monday noon we will have all 100 signatures (and then some) and the Town Clerk’s office has been fastidious about confirming them. The (ping pong) ball is in the Select board’s court.

2 comments:

O'Reilly said...

For those of us not so well versed in the nature of the disagreement. Can you tell us what the petition is for and what the fundamental conflict is? Is this about the town manager's deal with Umass? If so, what does the petition do?

Larry Kelley said...

Unfortunately the petition article is only "advisory"; so the Select board and Town Manager can ignore it (at their peril of course). If you check my 10/10/07 post below it gives the full text.

The Select board could not spend $100,000 this year for a firetruck, computers or new economic development czar without Town Meeting approval. Yet this effluent waiver will cost the town that much in lost revenue and they can do it without town meeting oversight.

A dollar not coming in is the same as a dollar spent.