There is no denying that money is tight. It is ludicrous to believe people don't understand that. Better - and thorough - planning is always important to keep individuals, families, and towns fiscally sound. Questions should always be asked about spending.
In fact, questions should be asked about most everything.
Mediation - in this current lawsuit that makes everybody's jaw tighten: will the particular mediator selected work for free? Don't the lawyers who accompany whoever goes into the mediation session(s) have to be paid? Is this whole mediation process cost-free, just to help parties who aren't able to negotiate on their own? Do you think?
And if mediation doesn't work...and court comes anyway, will that come at a reduced rate because Paris really didn't mean to get this far down the road with such bad planning?
And what was wrong with our (Paris' selectboard on the town's behalf) "negotiating" that we ended up with mediation - one tiny step away from the court room....? Were the 2 meetings (March 16th and April 20) with the lawyer actually part of a negotiation process with the other party? Or just information exchanging and loud proclamations within the board, with our paid lawyer as audience?
Why couldn't this board negotiate? Do we have a whole board-full of people who are digging in their heels, or just a minority?
Do we have board members who think this is only about money? If so, why haven't other options been looked at that might have stopped this escalating scenario?
Are there actually individuals on our selectboard that believe this lawsuit is only about money? Are there really individuals on our board who are willing to say, right out loud, to the citizens of this town, as well as to the other party:
"There was no wrong done on June 22, 2009. I, an elected official of the town of Paris, take no responsibility for not having fought as hard as perhaps I could have. The citizens in this town have nothing to complain about. We [the speakers] are blameless. This is all your fault [speaking to the other party] for getting yourself fired and putting us now in this awkward position."
