Let's Close The Book On This Town Meeting Petition

Ken O’Brien

The proponents of the petition to return Southbridge to a Town Meeting/Board of Selectmen form of government repeatedly cite the 1979 Appeals Court Decision in Marino v. Southbridge as the legal basis of their case.

In that case, the court stated:

JAMES J. MARINO & others vs. TOWN COUNCIL OF SOUTHBRIDGE.

7 Mass. App. Ct. 461

February 15, 1979 - April 25, 1979

Worcester County

Present: BROWN, GREANEY, & KASS, JJ. 

Poll Indicates “NO” on Town Meeting Plan: Timeline Also A Problem

Ken O’Brien

After a weeklong poll asking O’Zone readers their opinion on a proposal to return Southbridge to a Town Meeting/Board of Selectmen the results are in.

By a margin of three to two participants in the poll voted against the plan.

How Do You Feel?

Ken O’Brien

For the last week we’ve had a raging debate about the initiative petition being circulated to return Southbridge to a Selectman/Town Meeting form of government.

Now The O’Zone is going to give you an opportunity to weigh in on the issue.

On the right you will see a poll which will give you the opportunity to vote yes or no on whether this proposal should be adopted (assuming it gets on the June ballot).

We will leave the voting open for a week.

As in the past we request that only Southbridge residents who are of legal voting age participate in the poll.

Kamikaze Politics

Ken O'Brien

I never cease to be amazed by the ability of grassroots political efforts in Southbridge to seize defeat from the jaws of victory.

The conduct of the town administration and council majority over the last few months has handed the opposition everything that could be asked for.

Local Groups Prepare for Town Elections

Ken O'Brien

Well, the New Year has come and gone, and in Southbridge that can mean only one thing - the start of election season.

While town elections don't happen until June, various local groups are already preparing for the event.

There is of course the town council as a whole (or at least seven of nine) who are hoping to place their planned charter distortions on the ballot. Their nefarious ambitions were bolstered today by an email from state representative Peter Durant (R - Spencer).