Letter to the Editor: The Town Moderator Responds

Imagine my surprise when I poured my morning coffee last Saturday at dawn, swiped on my iPad, checked the national news, the Rhode Island news and of course the local news from our beloved EG Patch, only to find an article about ... ME.  
 
I read Lisa Sussman's witty rant with interest as she raised several questions about the Town Moderator position and the rationale for my own desire to serve the Town in this capacity. Basically her main concern seemed to be: why would anyone want to be the Moderator, a position with limited power and authority in our local system of government? Fair question.  

I ran for the office in 2010 – and filed again this year for reelection – out of a genuine sense of civic responsibility and a belief that everyone has a role to play in our community. I had considered other offices, but my professional responsibilities and busy home life limited the amount of time that I could realistically devote to public service. Once elected, I met with our leaders on the Town Council and School Committee to learn about the intricacies of our ~$50 million annual budget. I also offered advice on how to improve the quality of financial reporting to ensure we had a meaningful Financial Town Meeting. And we did. In both 2011 and 2012, the FTM ran smoothly and provided us all with a comprehensive picture of our finances.

Now, some have asked the question, should we have a Financial Town Meeting? Has it outlived its usefulness in an age when we have perfect information on every line item of the budget, which is posted online and capably managed by Mr. Sequino and Dr. Mercurio under the watchful oversight of our elected representatives? When we have an annual budget development process with meetings open to anyone interested enough to attend? Might it be wise to avoid the marginal staffing, printing and advertising costs (~$3-5K) incurred to run this meeting to lower the tax rate, however infinitesimally? Reasonable questions.  

Any change would require a revision to the Town Charter, and I welcome that discussion. Even if it means the eventual elimination of the Town Moderator position. We are a small town in a troubled state, and we should lead the way by seeking savings and efficiencies wherever possible. This is good government. Yes, let's take a fresh look at reform. And not just for the FTM, but for the Fire Department and other areas as well. How could we NOT do this, when incomes are stagnant, jobs are scarce and the prospects for a return to the good old days (remember 1999?) seem dim.  

Thank you Lisa Sussman for raising these questions. I'm sorry I didn't get your vote this time ... maybe I'll have the opportunity again one day. Or maybe not.