Watertown Citizens for Common Sense Government

It's About Our Future And The Future Is Now

Our Town Officials have been taking a beating lately. Arguably, it is well deserved. Certain office holders seemingly make the wrong turn at too many intersections. It’s as though they invite and enjoy the pain. Be it political masochism, unbridled arrogance, or just plain old stupidity they’ve managed stir the wrath of the people. The bottom line is the people want change.

No doubt, some Councilors and the Administration should reassess their conduct and priorities. Nevertheless, the problem is as much structural, as it is about personalities. The system itself needs improvement and reform.

It starts at the top with the Town Manager’s contract. Mr. Driscoll has served this community for over a decade. By and large he has done a good job. Until recently, most of us have been pretty happy with his day-to-day administration of Town’s affairs.

However, his contract is structured in a way that ties the Councils hands and is designed to ensure him a lifetime appointment. To renegotiate terms, the Council practically has to run an obstacle course blindfolded, backwards, with their hands on the ground and their feet in the air.

It’s definitely not easy to navigate; even still I’ll attempt to give you a tour down “The Long and Winding Road”.

As it stands, the Manager’s contract renews automatically from year to year. The Council needs to give 12 months notice by December 31st (of any given year) that they intend to terminate or change the contract. If the Council terminates the manager without giving notice on or before this specific date, the Town must pay him for the remainder of the newly renewed term or one full year’s salary, whichever amount is greater. If the day after the “anniversary date” the Council fires the Manager (save “substantial cause”), he could be entitled to receive 1 year and 364 days in severance pay; plus all other financial benefits. Do the math. That works out to $243,376.15 just in salary!

In contrast, if the Manager decides to leave for greener pastures, he only needs to give 4-months notice. To steal a line from the Marx Brothers “everybody knows there ain’t no sanity clause” in this contract!

It is imperative that the Council acts to modify this portion of the Manager’s contract. To do that, they must give notice by December 2005. This does not mean the Manager is going to be or should be fired. Rather, this move will simply allow the Council and the Manager to negotiate a more reasonable contract over the next year. If however, the Council fails to act, no changes can be made until 2007.

As for the Council, several things ought to change.

For starters, we need a better forum for discourse with community. The current Council Agenda does not allow any reasonable interaction between the taxpaying public and the Council. None of us want meetings drag on ad nauseam. But reasonable questions should be answered. Citizens shouldn’t be gaveled out of order for respectfully expressing perfectly valid criticism. In fact, the Council should schedule and dedicate three or four special meetings a year to field questions from their bosses (otherwise known as taxpayers).

From a systemic view, things must change as well. Any effective legislative body does most of its grunt work in subcommittee. Our subcommittees should meet on a regularly scheduled basis. The corresponding Department Heads should be present at those meetings and should work throughout the year with the subcommittees. In that manner, the Councilors will get a better perspective of each department’s needs. That will only improve the Council’s ability to set policy, vote on budgets, and collaborate with the Administration. If some Councilors felt included the process and informed directly by Department Heads, it just might lower the level of acrimony at Council Meetings.

What I’m suggesting is not novel. It’s called a system of checks and balances. Speaking of which, it’s high time the Council changes the hiring process for Department Heads and consultants. We voted overwhelmingly to make these hires confirmable by the Council in 2001. But the Council inexcusably disregarded the will of the people. Talk about contempt for the voters. It only gives credence to the growing public sentiment that some Councilors don’t want to take any responsibility or do any work. They are satisfied being the Manager’s rubber stamp.

Finally, we keep on hearing the same old clichés from the Council:

“If we knew then what we know now ”-- “Hindsight is 20/20”--“As we move forward looking to the future”.

These all too convenient one-liners have worn out their welcome. We heard them in reference to the police station, the library, the budget, the pay raises, the Manager’s evaluation, and now the recycling center. That’s just in the past six months folks. Forget about the ancient history or you’ll go nuts.

We need a proactive Council that has the guts to change things. It’s time to adopt a new cliché: “ It’s about our future and the future is now”!

John DiMascio

Communications Director
Watertown Citizens for Common Sense Government
www.citizensforcommonsense.com

Rejoice And Be Glad, It Ain't All Bad News

The news in Watertown over the past several months has been heaving with division and strife. Consider the police station debate, the budget process, and the controversial pay raises. Here a good one that ranks amongst the top ten most bizarre. First, the Town Manager bought a gas guzzling SUV; then, he inexplicably purchased a hybrid prematurely (both vehicles, I might add with taxpayers’ money). You might get the idea that Watertown is all about inside baseball and sweetheart deals for good ole boys.

But, the reports have not all been dismal or discordant. In fact, there was one uniquely stellar and unexpected piece of news for the residents of the East End. I’m speaking of the joyful decree that Sacred Heart Parish will be staying open.

This only goes to show you that when people of good will come together with the right motives, for the right cause, and in the right spirit, great things can happen.

While this was a group effort by the parishioners, some people who are not members must be singled out for special praise.

Marilyn Devaney (Town Councilor at Large & Massachusetts Governors’ Councilor) took time out of her busy schedule to go to a printer and have signs made. In addition she attended meetings and stood shoulder to shoulder with the parishioners during vigils.

This effort also crossed denominational lines. The Reverend Anne Franklin from the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepard enlisted the help of fellow Episcopal Ministers in writing to the Archdiocese. Then there was the Greek Orthodox lady. Had she been on the job in 1054 AD, maybe the “Great Schism” between the Eastern and Western Church might have been averted. Angeline Kounelis (President of the East Watertown Betterment Association) was an army of one. She spearheaded the effort from the very beginning. For 13 months, she wrote letters, sent faxes, made phone calls, and figuratively knocked down heaven’s gates to get the Archdiocesan reconfiguration committee’s attention. Without her efforts the results would have most likely been different. Simply put when Angie Kounelis gets involved, the East End is well represented.

This is not only a triumph for the Parishioners and those directly involved in the cause, but it’s a victory for all of Watertown. Local churches, no matter the flavor help the community in ways most people never hear about. Not a week passes that someone is not at the knocking at the door with need. That need is almost always met and without fanfare.

Speaking from experience, there is one particularly poignant incident that is still vivid in my memory. It was Christmas Eve; give or take a dozen years ago. In the middle of the afternoon a single mom who was strapped for cash came to the doors of First Baptist Church. In tears, she explained how she’d scraped up enough money to buy her children each a modest present. She had been so excited that there were a few dollars left over, just enough to surprise them with a Christmas turkey. She was full of the Christmas spirit--and then-- the oven conked out. She could neither afford to fix it or find a repairman; given the holiday. The Pastor, who was busy preparing for the Christmas Eve festivities, dropped everything, went over to her house, found out what the problem was, went to store bought parts, and fixed the woman’s oven.

Sadly, stories like these don’t usually make the headlines. Priest, Ministers, and ordinary parishioners don’t talk about these things; they just do them. Most consider them part of their life calling. In this day, when some question why people of faith and religious leaders should be honored in the public square, the answer is quick and simple. They selflessly do the little things that serve the community.

So, we celebrate Fr. Joe Curran, his entire staff, and the parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish. I’m sure they know this resurrection comes with a responsibility. Sacred Heart must become all that it can be. The late comers to the crusade should understand that this was not about saving a building for nostalgia’s sake. Further, while it was about preserving access to the Sacraments for many Catholics, it was also about giving Sacred Heart Parish the opportunity to fulfill its great commission of love.

Who will step up to teach the children? Who will volunteer to lead a prayer group? Who will visit the shut-ins? Who will join the choir and make a joyful noise? Who will greet newcomers at the doors? Who among you will say as we Catholics so often sing “Here I Am”?

For now my friends, rejoice and be glad, but know this is not the end of a great effort, rather the beginning of an immense and glorious undertaking. The news in Watertown over the past several months has been heaving with division and strife. Consider the police station debate, the budget process, and the controversial pay raises. Here a good one that ranks amongst the top ten most bizarre. First, the Town Manager bought a gas guzzling SUV; then, he inexplicably purchased a hybrid prematurely (both vehicles, I might add with taxpayers’ money). You might get the idea that Watertown is all about inside baseball and sweetheart deals for good ole boys.

This only goes to show you that when people of good will come together with the right motives, for the right cause, and in the right spirit, great things can happen.

While this was a group effort by the parishioners, some people who are not members must be singled out for special praise.

For now my friends, rejoice and be glad, but know this is not the end of a great effort, rather the beginning of an immense and glorious undertaking.

John DiMascio

Communications Director
Watertown Citizens for Common Sense Government
www.citizensforcommonsense.com

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Local Issues and Proposed Ordinances

It's About Our Future And The Future Is Now

Rejoice And Be Glad, It Ain't All Bad News