A few thoughts on important local issues of the week:
Elect vs. appoint
Dresden voters should approve the proposal to move from election to appointment of the town clerk and other office workers.
Moreover, other towns with the same setup should consider the same change.
If you manage a business, think about it this way: How well would your business run if your customers could elect your employees, who therefore did not have any obligation to follow your directions?
The answer? Not well.
Marijuana and perception
As local towns consider how to regulate marijuana businesses, they should consider their appearance as much as their location.
If a marijuana business looks like any professional office, it will be less likely to have a negative impact on property values and the perception of a town.
If it looks like a college dorm room, with neon pot leafs and green lights, like some of these businesses in Maine, it will reinforce negative stereotypes about marijuana.
The Celtics
After Tuesday’s humiliating defeat by the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens should bench his entire starting lineup indefinitely.
The C’s have a strong enough bench to stay competitive, and even if they drop a few more games, it would send a much-needed message about the team’s tolerance for the me-first attitude of some players and the inconsistent effort of others.
The ball
It was encouraging to see a great turnout for the Through the Pages ball at Skidompha Library in support of the effort to digitize the archives of The Lincoln County News.
All the bad news about newspapers, including more waves of layoffs at some big companies recently, can become discouraging at times.
Will we even exist in 25 years? Can we find a way to make online news pay for itself if readers abandon print?
It gives us hope to see so many people of all generations attend an event to support their local newspaper and the preservation of their community’s history.
The library organized and pulled off a stellar event. Our thanks go to the library and to the many sponsors and supporters of the ball.
