The Wiscasset Board of Selectmen and Wiscasset Town Manager Marian Anderson deserve credit for their response to a highly public examination of whether the town needs a town manager or a five-member board of selectmen, or whether a different, less expensive model might work.
Instead of going on the defense or ignoring the effort, Anderson and the selectmen have embraced the scrutiny as part of a healthy democratic process, encouraged the public to participate in the conversation, and participated themselves.
The reaction of Wiscasset officials will allow the town to consider any proposal to change its form of government on the merits of the proposal, instead of making the debate into a personality contest.
While we’re on the subject of Wiscasset town officials who deserve recognition, Tim Merry serves as an example of civil, positive citizen engagement for others across the county to follow.
After 20 years as fire chief and a term as selectman, many might choose to relax and let someone else worry about their town for a while.
Mr. Merry is not only leading the effort to have some difficult conversations about the future of the town, he also continues to serve the town as an active firefighter.
How many other towns in Lincoln County have even one resident organizing meetings about anything to do with town government? Many towns struggle to find a single candidate for selectman!
Wiscasset has difficult decisions to make if it wants to control its tax rate and ensure the town’s long-term fiscal health, but if town officials continue to display the same level of leadership and residents the same level of involvement demonstrated by Mr. Merry, we are optimistic about the town’s chances to bring these issues to a satisfactory conclusion.
