Monday Selectmen's meeting, 2-8-10. A different feel in the room. The town has the same people in it; there are people who are content with their lot and those who want something else; people with needs and people who don't need anything right now; people who have grievances and people who don't.
In short, no matter how described, the Town of Paris is full of the same people as before the recall elections of Feb. 1st and Feb. 5th.
This meeting of the selectmen felt different because a majority of voters have chosen to try to do a better job of paying attention to what is going on in the leadership they elect to run their company - this town. The people in the room tonight reflected that choice and the feelings that come with it.
Because of the recall, there are now 2 positions open, and there will be an election to fill those positions.
Position #1 - a 2 1/2 year position;
Position #2 - a 3 1/2 month position, and then re-file end of May to fill a 3 year position.
Petition papers to run for the office of either position may be picked up at the Town Office Tuesday AM 2-9-10. Be sure to specify which position running for. Petitions must be returned by February 19.
Absentee ballots will be available 2-22-10.
March 9 - Election Day, 8AM -8PM.
This is a short time to get everything in place. This town needs to hustle. Business has been stacking up, and we have much to do.
It is critical, however, that the important pieces of our town that have been thrown helter-skelter in the last 7 months are not just swept into a pile and randomly pasted back together. As much as we all crave "regular life" and good feelings, consider: when a surgeon finishes a piece of surgery, he or she doesn't just stitch the patient back up without first looking to see if everything is back in the right place and that there isn't a box of bandages or pair of scissors left inside.
We need to understand what has happened and we need to know where we are headed next. We need to understand the extra financial obligations that we now face as a result of poor management; we need to be clear on what we have been obligated to as a result of decisions made because of personal agendas, decisions we did not authorize.
We are ready to move on, and we can move on. But we have to know where we are going, and we look to our elected officials to not only be honest with us about that, but to let us be a part of that decision. This town belongs to all of us.
