MOORE.col.04-20-05 . . . . . . . .. 41

Hed :

One test is passed,
Another is here


By BOB MOORE

Meetings of the Board of selectmen are moving briskly. Have you
noticed? Yes, so have I.

And I've noticed something else. The five members clearly are working
together - with a sense of purpose that's been lacking in recent
years.

All right, I'll lay off the past. Just like the new board has. And
I'll admit how wrong I was when I argued that only an uprising of
voters could get results - namely, saving Town Manager government
from chaos; that is, proving it can work.

But some people - never mind who for now - decided that lining up two
mutually -supported candidates with government savvy, the rescue
could be achieved with a minimum of political infighting... that might
otherwise linger for years.

The election of Dennis Giombetti and former Rep.John Stasik did the
trick.

And then - all five members decided to retain Katie Murphy as chair,
picked Stasik as vice chair and Giombetti, the top vote-getter, as
clerk. No pushing or pulling. A sign they are thinking together.

What next? We are at the point where the board sets its goals and begins
to ask questions about what is needed to move Framingham forward.

Last week it asked if the $100,000 position of chief financial
officer is needed and tonight, Manager George King is coming up with
what's involved if the CFO, held briefly by three since-departed
persons, is eliminated.

We are in a waiting period. On the CFO, Downtown revitalization,
defusing the "immigrant question." Also, on housing, at what cost and
for whom.

Immediate answers we needn't expect. Setting up changes takes
time. Already Giombetti's suggestion that the board turn its
attention to complaints about "illegal immigrants" has been taken up
by Murphy. And the chair is dealing with that persistent query in a
quiet and measured manner.

Think a moment. Since its inception in 1996, manager government has
had a rough history. Under King, it has gradually brought about ....
long-resisted changes to bring order and a system to town
government. Hard feelings. Many directed against King and his [some
called them bare-knuckled] methods. And for some often there was not
enough public awareness of what was being tried. Or maybe - go to "a
city."

The April 5 vote was a test of how residents felt about manager
government.  The vote was decisive. And the board's subsequent unity
is an indication that Framingham has the tools with which to move
forward.

I don't know about you. But for me, I intend to sit back and
watch. We passed the first test on April 5. There's more to be done,
to be watched for. That's the second part of the test.

Personally, I feel that much of the animosity shown in this decade
came from lack of making clear, on time, what steps are being taken
and, in understandable language, and why. Misunderstanding breeds
anger. We don't need that. So let's see.

______________________________________________________
You can reach Bob Moore at edmoore4@aol.com or at
1-508-620-1449.





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