That's a Wrap

We wrapped things up last night by 10 p.m., and it was unfortunate it took us that long.

Most of what we had in front of us were routine, annual appropriations articles.

Exceptions to this included two appropriations, one for $20,000 to pay for signs highlighting historic and cultural points of interest in Arlington, and another for $2,000 to pay for a molded metal sign to go in front of the Uncle Sam statue.

Discussion on each of these got ugly.

We witnessed what looked like an Uncle Sam committee that has spiraled into an abyss of dysfunction.

I don't have all the details about everything going on, so won't try to speculate too much on explanations.

Suffice it to say for now that the committee is in need of healthy leadership.

We approved the $2,000 in large part because the Town Manager would be in charge of writing the check, and not the committee.

The discussion on the $20,000 appropriation turned into a witch hunt, with some members using it to try and smear the character of people in our community.

By the time this was through, I would have voted to spend twice that amount on the ugliest, most repulsive signs imaginable, out of disgust.

The "arguments" against the appropriation were specious, largely based on us not having seen these signs yet.

Just because we vote to appropriate money - making it available to spend - does not mean that it gets spent on bad work.

People have to sign off on the final product before anyone gets paid.

Try to imagine Town Meeting discussing whether a majority prefers one font or another, or like the color scheme chosen.

The actual issue in front of us was whether promoting these points of interest is a worthwhile endeavor, and a sound strategy to promote economic development.

Further, you could get into a discussion of how much is an appropriate amount to spend.

One point that opponents have brought up that has sufficient quality to be discussed, is whether we are doing these sorts of things in a strategic, planned manner, or whether we are throwing a bunch of ideas against a wall and seeing what sticks.

But they have been too busy carrying out personal vendettas to waste time fleshing out that argument.

This is the biggest problem facing Town Meeting: a small and vocal number of members who use the institution to wage their own personal campaigns against people they disagree with.

Too many issues get hijacked by these endeavors, with no respect to the actual issues being discussed.

If everyone would approach issues from the perspective of what was right for Arlington, rather than how they might "score points" in petty battles over mole-hills, Town Meeting would better serve its residents.

In the end, despite these problems I believe we did good work this year, respecting a balance between providing services and exercising frugality.

I am up for re-election next year, so whether I return to Town Meeting again will be a decision made by the voters in my precinct.

I hope I have given voters plenty of information to base that decision on.

Of course I hope voters will approach me and give us both the opportunity determine whether we are moving in the right direction.