moorecol.11-26-04ÿÿ.17 Hed : Things ain't what they used to be By BOB MOORE It used to be that you could watch two teams slug it out on the playing field and shake hands later. And spectator walk away; there's always tomorrow. Not any more. It used to be that we struggled through an expensive year, wondering where the money would come from but in the end the budget balanced. Or so it was said and we'd move on. But not any more. Times have changed. Everything is so immediate and must be dealt with, really. Right now. Here it is holiday time and we've got a l of unsettled problems. Mostly for next year. But they're so right-now. Right after New Year's we got a Special town Meeting on Jan. 12. That is still a mystery and had been expected to take up approval of $90 million in capital expenditures that would provide for a townwide vote on a debt exclusive override. . It isn't that the Administration isn't working on that but it hasn't explained which of a dozen capital [long range building] needs come first. That's now doubtful. Only the Board of Selectmen has seen a rough draft..The warrant is still open.. There isn't time? That could be. Thanksgiving and religious holidays eat up meeting nights. Hardly a week goes by but what the Board of Selectmen, for instance, doesn't take up one question: Which meeting dates must we change? And nights, called work sessions. Narrow meeting time. And executive session "to get regular business done," Town Manager George King asks. The routine is bumpy. Everyone would like to get into the swing. Because. Even now we're looking at [another] Fiscal Year 2006 coming up - without any fix on what we need and what we can afford. Not that there isn't work being done "out back" but everyone knows you can't get support for a budget without frequent hearings by mid-February. SECOND HEARING - Some of this may get a hearing next Wednesday [Dec. 4] at 7 p.m. in Nevins Hall when the Government Study Committee asks for public input on what should go or what should stay under the Town Manager Act. One precinct chairman told me he was saddened when only three Town Meeting Members showed up for the 2.5-hour session and "fewer than 30 persons attended. Committee Chair Christine Long throws up her arms and says : "We're looking for input from residents. Everybody." So that's just one call on your time during the anxious-shopping season when so many immediate problems pop up. One of them is the complaints I get about the 4-1 Board of Selectmen majority. Gripe : That majority too readily votes yes on King's proposals. Well, Town Meeting government allows the manager to work freely when he has a majority. Usually, 3-2 is considered normal. Those who don't like this 4-1 majority rule gripe and wonder what to do. That's bound to be question raised in considering possible changes in manager government It gives the manager the power to offer professional running of the town. Free of politics. Those dissatisfied wonder what is their option. The answer is as old as the hills: Vote to change the majority when election comes every April. GOLDEN WORDS - Not everything is negative these days. This Saturday [27th] Dora Ward [Mrs. Michael Ward] turns 85, and words she'll never forget came from her granddaughter Jennifer [4] when they were parting after a weekend together : "You know," she said earnestly, her eyes fixed on Dora, "I'm going to miss you." Dora treasures those words. INEVITABLE? - Nothing has drawn so much attention . . . to us all as the violence that brought pro basketball stars into the stands to mix it up with fans last week in Detroit. It's gotten so that when we hear of another brawl after major league sports event that we've come to say, "Well, it crops up in San Francisco, Detroit Chicago, wherever. What can you do?" Even in Boston? What can we do? Is it part of us - or just inevitable? The NBA ordered the major "Detroit invader" benched to the rest of the season - at a cost of more than $4 million to him. I hope it sticks. Three others involved were fined and benched. What's been happening needed a strong deterrent. But the matter doesn't end there. Major league sports is big business - really big and you need to keep the fans coming. Big-time TV and major sports franchises are in cahoots. Even watching on TV, the object is to keep us in an excited mode. How often I am I treated to an Ortiz home run [from last inning or yesterday, or a year ago] played with jazzed up to "keep me excited" when I'd rather just see how the infield is shifting? Get my pulse racing? We're all fans at one time or another. But we're not free of restraint. What gives us the right to slander or throw bottles, whatever at the players? Nothing much. As fans we often have "bad days" and seeing the Yanks belt the Sox today may make my day. And if they lose? My day is lost. And I may feel ugly toward everyone and join a crowd bent on getting even. First rule of a fan? It's a game, and get on with your life. So pro athletes in our major sports make unbelievable [some say unreasonable] millions. So give 'em hell? Well, their skills have made them worth big bucks. Pushed and shoved by fans, they're not above giving it back in outrageous language and gestures Last week they struck back blindly at the fans. And Detroit management talks about banning beer at games played in such close quarters. We can expect someone to call off the suspension and the multi-million-dollar fines ordered in Detroit. I hope not. They made a point that needed to be made. But will the next hullabaloo be worse? When so many dollars are at stake, we can depend on some high flown talk about the joy of American sports being above all that.. Sit tight. In your seat. _____________________________________________________________ You can reach Bob Moore at 1-509-620-1449 or at edmoore4@aol,com. To unsubscribe, send email to majordomo@syslang.net with body unsubscribe frambors (the subject is ignored). Please read the Frequently Asked Questions maintained online at http://frambors.syslang.net/faq/about.html before posting or replying.