Got home from work at 9PM but it's still Friday. Here's Bob!
Friday, April 3, 2009
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A political blog from Dartmouth, Massachusetts. I encourage debate of the issues facing our town on this blog.
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- Citizens petition for Youth Advocate
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14 comments:
On Feb. 4, it was reported in The Standard-Times that Ed Iacaponi had been offered the position of interim executive administrator by Select Board Chairman Joe Michaud and Select Board member Diane Gilbert. The decision to offer Mr. Iacaponi the position had never been discussed or voted upon by the entire Select Board at that time.
Besides what I feel is a clear violation of the state’s Open Meeting Law, what I found to be the most appalling is that Gilbert publicly reprimanded Michaud for making this information public by calling the Standard Times.
She conveniently forgot to mention publicly that she also participated in this meeting to offer the interim position to Mr. Iacaponi.
It is interesting that she is currently running for re-election to the Select Board on a transparent and open government platform, yet she remains publicly silent regarding what I feel is a violation. An elected official, especially one who is running on a transparent and open government platform, she cannot pick and choose when to publicly expose an issue regarding transparency.
But no one should be surprised by Gilbert’s actions. They are not unprecedented.
Back in early 2008 during the much debated issue regarding a split tax rate -- an issue vehemently opposed by Diane Gilbert -- she wrote a letter to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue without first notifying her fellow Select Board members. In her complaint, she criticized the Select Board’s behavior and the manner in which they handled the debate by allowing the public to have a voice in the decision.
Think about this for a moment, we the taxpaying citizens according to Gilbert should not have been allowed to have our opinion heard in a public forum on how we should be taxed. There is something inherently wrong with this philosophy and tactic.
What this illustrates is Gilbert’s propensity to pick and choose when transparency is appropriate. Transparency must always be appropriate whether it works for you or against you.
Gilbert has had a lot to say regarding transparency in Dartmouth politics, and it has been illustrated that she has an incredible ability to turn a blind eye to transparency when it suits her needs.
The time for this double standard must come to an end in Dartmouth. We must as a community move forward by electing the right people to the Select Board to bring back transparency and collaboration back to our community, for that is what is needed most in these trying times.
We, the voting citizens of Dartmouth, now have our chance to decide how our community will tackle the issues we face. Will it be one of transparency and collaboration or selective transparency and divisiveness? The choice is yours at the polls on April 7th.
This comment is complete nonsense. Ms. Gilbert has been a consistent and unwavering advocate for the public's right to know. Citing the Open Meeting law regarding the interaction of two members of the Select Board and the Budget Director is just factually incorrect. There can be no meeting of the Select Board without a quorum of three members present. There was no Select Board quorum, hence no violation is possible. After the two met with Mr. Iacaponi and reported back to the Select Board that he was amenable to taking on the task, there was a open meeting and debate on his appointment. Ms. Gilbert's contact with the DOR was an inquiry about the propriety of public statements by Select Board members in advance of a public hearing about the split tax. Her concern there was once again that all sides be heard. It was not an attempt to quell debate but to postpone it to an appropriate forum. No group has been more divisive than those who are opposing. I conclude that their agenda is to get a property tax override passed since they have little other policy difference with Ms. Gilbert. They will not come out and say so,instead citing a broader perspective on fiscal responsibilty or other vague language.
Thanks Bill, That ridiculous attack against Gilbert has got Jim Mathes' fingerprints all over it. You know, the guy that spoke against the split tax while with the chamber of commerce then flipped when his bread got buttered with grant money. He tried the exact same type of attack in another forum and got his butt whipped in that debate also.
Thanks Bill. I can't wait for April 8th, when all this nasty stuff will be over! (for another year at least!)
I hope we have the pleasure of three more years of Ms. Gilbert!
It's amazing how the way that Bill takes the high road with reasonable debate can frustrate certain people to the point of profanity.
To 6:43. Feel better now, getting that out?
"A man is judged from the detractors he has as much as the friends he has." - Me
A great man once said, "Everybody in this town thinks you're a bastard."
-Elvis Costello
Now that guy must have really shaken things up!
April 4, 6:43 You are way out of line. While I am not supporting Bill's candidates nor many of his positions, this forum has been available to me and the rest of us, to express our opinions without censor. Bill is hosting a valuable service to the voters and residents of Dartmouth and has the class to do so without censorship or crassness. You overstep the bounds and put all at risk of losing an outlet for our opinions. Self control is the best choice. I hope, 6:43, you will clean up your act. Bill thank you for hosting. And you and I do agree on the music.
Bill - why do you allow these attacks on this man? he has not posted here and is not running for office. Running to serve the town seems to make one fair game in Dartmouth but tho allow these sladerous posts to continue demeans you and does not serve what you stated the purpose of this blog was. It is disgraceful plain and simple.
Mathes is a well paid political hack who has been engaging in gutter politics. He deserves everything he gets.
I am glad that Jim Mathes has been exposed for what he is. He should be ashamed of himself.
Jim Mathes is a fine man. Leave him alone, please.
Mathes' behavior has been a huge disappointment. I hope he thinks twice before acting like that again.
Here i'll put in a way so as not to offend. Bill you have a degree in BSA. there how's that? That offend anyone? I never thought a group of adult's would get so upset about "poopy"..
Oh for those of you who don't know what a degree in BSA is here i'll spell it out for you, Bull Shit Artist.. OOOPs i hope no one gets offended i did it again.
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