The Middleboro way
The last BOS meeting – that’s Middleboro Board of Selectman for newer readers – had a lengthy discussion about the plowing kerfuffle. Former BOS member and attorney Adam Bond has brought legal action on behalf of 10-20 taxpayers to stop the town from plowing private roads. This followed a recent meeting where Town Council Dan Murray issued an opinion that it was illegal for the town to spend public funds to maintain private roads.
The discussion opened with an overview by BOS chair Pat Rogers, who felt compelled to name each person associated with the lawsuit, where they lived, and interesting minutiae about whether they were “real” taxpayers. Rogers also opined that the lawsuit was “mean spirited” and not the “Middleboro way”.
First off, I’m not in favor of the lawsuit – which is not to say that the case lacks legal merit. The BOS have ignored this issue for years and ultimately bear the blame. With winter approaching, this could have waited until the spring in my opinion, although many springs have come and gone since the BOS was first made aware of the problem. I have a lot of friends – particularly on Rivers Edge Drive and would prefer that they have more time to resolve this issue. I’ll leave to Adam to explain the reasons for the suit.
That said, the term “Middleboro way” piques my interest. What is it? Remember the firetruck we sold to Lakeville for $25K that is now in service? When questions were asked, was it the Middleboro way to suggest that they wanted to send firefighters out on unsafe equipment? When people opposed a casino, they were accused of being rascist and accused of all sorts of things. When I wanted to run a CPA campaign, build a town web site, or assist the town setting up a automated call system, I got met by either outright hostility or deafenting silence. Was that the Middleboro way? Now when Bond etal file a lawsuit, the BOS indulge a sympathetic audience to call them mean-spirited, shameful, and are taken to task for not being present. Is the epidemic of stealing lawn signs the Middleboro way?
The truth is that anything controversial in a small town will bring out some nastiness. One thing the BOS tends to do that annoys me is that they will indulge discussion if it is largely in line with their position and limit discussion that is not. Remember the two minute time limits on casino questions or the outright refusal to let people speak at BOS meetings?
When you get involved with an issue that is at odds with the BOS – watch out for the “Middleboro way”.
It seems to me that the Middleboro way is retro, after all, we’re one of the few towns in the state that wasn’t progessive enuf to go for Obama.
When I heard the term “Middleboro way”…
I immediately thought of the town meeting from hell. The non-binding question of whether or not we wanted a casino in town was answered with a strong no. I found it interesting that at least one member of the BOS later dismissed the wishes of it’s townspeople, stating that the vote wasn’t representational because some people had left the ball fields. She apparently knew just how all of those people would have voted! Amazing!
Following this logic, are late night votes at town meeting valid if some people have gone home to bed? Is any vote at town meeting valid if not all townspeople are there? The BOS can make it easier on all of us now and just base their actions on how they THINK, or rather, how they KNOW we would vote.
I then thought of a BOS that repeatedly pays valuable town money to enlist the advice of legal counsel and then ignores the advice.
And lastly, I thought of a BOS that consistently takes an adversarial position against Dr. Sullivan and the School Committee. I would love for once to hear a single member of the BOS voice support for the schools, rather than adopt their “us against them” attitude.
Ah, the Middleboro way!
@Kathy
You really hit the nail on the head. The “Middleboro way” is a loaded term which implies that everyone who doesn’t share your viewpoint is an outsider, crazy, wrong, or all of the above.
Yep, Kathy hit the nail on the head, agrees this crazy/wrong casino-opposing outsider.
And yes, that’s my real name
The issue that I found troubling was, at first the Chairman stated how he doubted the validity of the lawsuit by pointing out the resident tax-paying status of the complainants, then later on Marsha tried to exclude the residents of the private and unaccepted streets with children, saying ‘your taxes don’t even cover the costs of your children in school, never mind street plowing’.
I wonder then, who can complain about anything the BOS is doing? Only property-tax paying resident without any children?
When the Brunelle’s had a child in the school system did they recuse themselves of voting ,as selectman, never mind residents, in all matters related to taxes and the budget?
The chairman pays taxes in Middleboro but he has children also correct?
What about the rest of the Board?
And how long after your children graduate should you remain quiet?
I hope the BOS is not trying to disqualify ANY resident from voicing their opinions about how town government is being run.
That is not the American Way