Damariscotta will soon have a vacant seat on its board of selectmen if no one steps forward to run as a write-in candidate between now and the election June 13. The deadline to file paperwork to appear on the ballot was Monday.
The lack of interest in one of the five highest elective offices in Damariscotta disturbs us.
We know how it is. We all have lives. We have families and jobs. Many of us who have an inclination toward public service already serve in some capacity, which leaves even less time for another commitment.
But our towns need strong leadership, and a leadership vacuum can lead to negative consequences.
We hear plenty of opinions about the latest happenings in Damariscotta, particularly in regard to recent development proposals.
Don’t like what you see? Run for office!
Or maybe you do like what you see, and want to head off resistance from those who don’t. Run for office!
If reasonable people don’t run and the town elects a selectman who wants to restrict all new development to organic rabbit farms and require all businesses to move underground so as not to disturb the landscape, the reasonable people who didn’t run will share in the responsibility.
Those ideas might sound wacky (and illegal) but we hear lots of wacky ideas as we go about the business of reporting on municipal government.
We know there is someone in Damariscotta, a reasonable, thoughtful someone, someone willing and able to understand the merits of both sides of an issue, maybe even someone who has always thought they might make a good selectman, but has never got around to running for one reason or another. Do you know this someone? Are you this someone?
If you are, and you’re willing to run, call the town office at 563-5168 and give us a call too, at 563-3171.
