Ken
O’Brien
Council Chair Shaun Moriarty has announced his
decision to resign from the Southbridge Town Council effective January 9, 2016.
However, he has already resigned his position as
Council Chairman. That resignation was effective as of December 15.
His reasoning is that this will spare the town the
need to hold a special election prior to the regular election to be held the
last Tuesday in June.
The question is, “Is this really fair to the voters
of Southbridge?”
He clears the mandated 180 days in advance of the
regular election by 8 days. And, it must be noted, he saves the town about
$10,000.
However, he leaves the town with an eight member
council for that period. That period includes, at the very least, the
establishment of the FY 2017 town budget.
Detailed review of the budget is scant enough with
nine members. In addition, it should be noted, Councilor Moriarty was one of
five signatories to Councilor Vecchia’s pledge to hold the line on spending.
With an eight member board a tie vote would defeat
any motion that was put forward to replicate or expand upon that effort.
It goes without saying that any other issue of a
controversial nature that might arise during this period would hand an
advantage to those opposing any initiative by the Council.
Furthermore, it increases the pressure on the
remaining members in filling subcommittee positions.
It is fair to raise the question, “Is it worth
$10,000 to leave the Council where a tie vote could stymie any action and
further demands are made on members’ time by subcommittee commitments?”
What do you think?
I wish Shaun had stayed but fairness to your family, in my opinion, has to come before fairness to your Town.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I wasn't clear. I have no problem with Shaun's decision to resign. What I wonder about is his decision to delay the date of his action in order to prevent a special election.
DeleteWhen tne former Chair of the Council doesn't even value a Councilors six months of service at $10,000, that says a lot.
ReplyDeleteHistorically 9-15%,of the Voters come out for the annual election, but 65-75% come out for the Presidential Primary.
The lawyers that actuslly make the decisions that determine the path town government takes will claim we can not have a town election during State or Federal elections, but it is done elsewhere in the Commonwealth. If the election to replace Mr. Moriarty was held during the Presidential Primary,the winner would be the highet vote getter in decades.