The candidates waged uphill battles against incumbents and despite the recent revealtions by Globe reporter Sean P. Murphy in the exclusive MassInc webstory, “Betting the Farm” [http://www.massinc.o…], the newcomers did not prevail. Was anything gained? Did the incumbents learn anything about Democracy, fiscal management, citizenry? Maybe not, but I thought it was pretty brave of those who ran and hope a few heads were turned. Bravo to those who tried.
Please share widely!
The selectmen of Middleboro owe their positions to the voters in only the most formal sense. Any allegiance they feel is toward the casino industry, and they’ve made that clear enough. I’m glad I rent in this town.
The voters of Middleborough elected the Selectmen in regular town elections and then reaffirmed their vote by defeating the recall.
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You may not like the result but you can’t say they didn’t have the opportunity to have a voice. And a secret ballot.
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Seems that the casino isn’t as unpopular in Middleborough as it is on BMG. At least if you believe the voters.
On only one occasion have the people in Middleborough been asked whether they want to see a casino built in their town. And they voted “no.”
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1. Town meeting vote #1: Do you approve the deal that Middleborough selectmen cut with the Mashpee Wampanoag? And by the way, you’d better vote “yes” whether you support a casino or not. Otherwise, the casino will be built anyway, and the town will get nothing. The vote: yes.
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2. Town meeting vote #2: Do you want a casino to be built in Middleborough? The vote: no.
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3. Do you wish to recall three selectmen and replace them with three other candidates? The issue: fiscal mismanagement going back to well before the casino vote, as well as lingering unhappiness over how the casino deal has been handled. The three candidates who would have replaced the incumbents were not all opposed to the casino, by the way. The vote: no.
The recall result is bad news for casino opponents. Votes for recall would have been made up by anti-casino forces, plus anyone and everyone else had a reason to dislike the selectmen. And over the years (particularly for long-serving members) a lot can build up because of the choices that board has to make. Rather the people of Middleborough merely showed the same short-sightedness that got them into such a mess that they’d sell out the town for a few bucks in the first place.
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That said, let’s not forget the ballot. Similar to a Calif. recall, one votes first whether to recall. However, unlike the Calif. ballot, the incumbent is listed as a possible replacement!
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In one race, the number of people who wanted to recall a certain selectman was exceed by the votes collected than the number of votes collected by his putative replacement. In other words, several dozen people didn’t want a selectman replaced, but wouldn’t vote for him.
Once to put them on office in a past election and one to defeat the recall.
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2. Do you want to hang around and vote on a specifically non-binding resolution put on the town meeting warrant by Those Who Did Not Get Their Way, or do you want to try to beat the traffic generated by 3,000 cars? Vote – Yes.
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3. Do you want to recall the selectmen for cutting the deal we voted to affirm with a money-wasting special elction generated by Those Who Did Not Get Their Way? Vote – No.
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Sounds to me like they voted to affirm the casino deal twice, Dan. And please – this business about past fiscal mismangement, etc. – this couldn’t wait until the regular election in May? The ONLY reason for the recall was to punish the selectmen for doing the casino deal, and if the vote had gone the OTHER way the casino opponents would be clicking thier heels and chortling over their vindication, not mumbling about how the recall they started wasn’t REALLY about the casino anyways…yeah…THAT’S the ticket….
Under the best of circumstances, Recalls are difficult and voters are reluctant to oppose incumbents, but much has been accomplished in Middleboro.
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What an exciting COMMUNITY Middleboro is becoming!
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I want to thank all who participated in the Recall Election
events, but even more so, I want to thank all who are beginning to pay attention, attend meetings, discuss the governance of the Town, and work to create a ‘COMMUNITY’ !
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After all, isn’t that what this was ABOUT?
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I have raised the issue about the lack of a ‘PLAN.’
The DOR Report raised the issue and voters are beginning to ask that as well.
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More importantly, I want to express my thanks to the
opponents who have served to provide insight and question
issues.
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Although I will be forever disappointed by those who continually form their opinions without the benefit of information or thought, regrettably, that appears to be a recurring American problem.
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Many have expressed appreciation of the events of this
year. Many have gotten to know their neighbors and
created networks and connections.
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As a community, we now recognize the great resources
we have among our neighbors. We have expertise,
experience, understanding and education that we have
overlooked or not invited.
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Others have expressed an interest to me in an on line ‘newspaper’ that focuses on Middleboro issues, voter registration drives, a taxpayers’ group, a PAC, and so on.
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Pretty exciting times in Middleboro!
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Jessie Powell