Local Politics, Part 2

 

 

     On Election Day eve, let's all do our civic duty and cast our ballots for our choices for national, state and local positions. Many of us have already cast our vote via absentee ballots. Good luck to all! I have encouraged everyone to become fully informed prior to casting votes and signing petitions that inevitably appear in various locations near polling places. One such petition that has been talked about in the press is a petition attempting, again, to overturn the Brunswick Town Council's vote to sell a coastal piece of property acquired through non-payment of taxes. A proponent group for retaining the land for public use gathered signatures and presented the signed petition to the Council prior to its vote. This group was upset and will plan, as reported in the Times Record on Oct. 20, 2016, "...to circulate a petition on election Day that seeks somehow to reverse the council's course. The petition will be in support of letting Brunswick voters decide if the land should be made a public park..."

     One of the councilors who strongly advocated for the land to be retained for public access to the coast, also wrote an opinion piece in the Times Record on Sept. 23, 2016. He admonished his fellow councilors who voted to sell the land that their interpretation of the town's 2008 Comprehensive Plan was 'very contorted'. He thanked the town's professional and volunteer staff (I will write more about our town's volunteers in another post) for their support. A reading of these groups' reports to the council could also be considered neutral, ie that the parcel had some value vis a vis their group's particular focus, not necessarily advocating directly for or against the town retaining or selling the land. This councilor ended his opinion piece with additional strong words, 'rejecting this remarkable opportunity should mean we reject Council representatives who do not reflect our community in the future.'

     The town's 2008 Comprehensive Plan advocates for obtaining water access, as funds permit. See it here: http://www.brunswickme.org/departments/planning-development/comprehensive-plan-2008/. The town's finance committee, of which this councilor is the chair this year, also recommended to the full Council a plan to fund this Capital Improvement Plan for 2017-2021 and it was adopted on May 28, 2016. See this funding plan here:  http://www.brunswickme.org/departments/finance/financial-documents/capital-improvement-program-cip/ .  It details a funding timeline for future town projects, including school department projects. There are many projects planned and recommended for funding and projects in development as well as desired projects but not recommended for this 2017-2021 cycle. Spending money on the development of this land is not included.

     I speak to this example of using the petitioning process as ineffective in achieving town planning.  We all acknowledge the citizen right to petition their government. But it is also not cost effective. The petition process will be divisive, in fact, it has already been divisive. It will cost the town money that could be allocated to achieving town projects, including school department projects such as a new elementary school. I believe some Councilors were speaking to the fact that the town has many and should prioritize those of immediate need, such as school replacement and closure of the landfill and they stated their financials concerns of being able to balance all these financial commitments and still be mindful of the annual tax rates.

     Please become fully informed before voting and signing petitions. It is convenient to stand with a petition and engage citizens as they enter or leave the building. It is another thing to engage in a fully informed discussion on whatever the petition issue is, examining all the facts leading to every side of the issue.