I REPRESENT YOU - JUST TRUST ME!

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This page exists because I have more faith in the average voter and constituent than I do in the average politician currently serving in the Bickering town of Billerica. Perhaps we need an artilce proposed to change the town name to Bickerville just to remind future reps how silly our past reps were.

The mixed use overlay district articles, in my view, would have brought the town a much needed opportunity to catch up to some of the surrounding towns in terms of viable and profitable infrastructure and architecture. This very serious article and opportunity slipped away by just EIGHT votes above the 1/3 required to kill it in a clear case that the minority rules.

Mixed use, again, in my opinion, had an important and significant bearing on the future of the town; more so than any other issue in front of Town Meeting. To those who felt compelled to vote no out of good conscience and with valid reasoning, as a constituent, I appreciate that voting no is your right.

As a constituent, however, I would like to give you an opportunity to explain to the majority of your peers and to the town itself how the overlay district articles are so threatening and inferior to the status quo, or how they are simply wrong for Billerica, that you had to vote no in good conscience.

I would like you to address me, as you would any voting member of your precinct, and tell me how the vote you took is in my best interest. In fact, I’ll pay the bandwidth cost of giving you the space to put up your own plan or statement within one of my sites, linked here, to explain why as a town, we are better off turning down mixed use for something else that you are privy to and can expound upon to educate the rest of us.

Surely, each of you thought these articles through, researched them thoroughly, and voted based upon objective facts and reasoning, rather than out of subjective opinion, supposition and whimsy.  So, if you would, please demonstrate to the majority where passing these articles would not have been of benefit to or in the best interest of the town of Billerica.

Since you represent a small minority; even within the limited Town Meeting group, and since this measure, in the minds of many, could have brought about the potential for positive change and a way to break from the status quo that has been taking us toward fiscal and structural oblivion, I think you owe your fellow citizens this much. Kindly explain how turning down this article will improve the town’s revenue stream and curb appeal from your expert political perspective.

–Rick Click to E-Mail

UPDATE: October 24, 2009

No self disclosers have been made since the vote, and no explanations for voting against the article have been offered to date at this site. 

One TMM gave his perspective on another site, but I don’t feel it appropriate to recall that comversation here.  His remarks came about mostly because I enticed him by being less than gentlemanly in my reproach to his initial comments that, to me, seemed inappropriately boastful considering what was at stake.  I have since decided to consider a rapproachement to the extent that is even possible with people of such widely separated philosophies.

So much for leaders with the courage of one’s convictions among our TMM naysayers, and so much for transparency in what many TM members view as “a pure democracy”. Why is it, again, that Town Meeting is so much better than municiple government?

I wonder, though, if the town is better served by expert parlimentarians, or if we would do better with people who believe in standing up for what is just and right and who act out of conscience, sober deliberation, rational self-interest and courage as opposed to simply working the rules?

24 Oct 09 Update

A second TMM who didn’t vote, stated that he would have voted no and gave his reasons below. I thank him and appreciate his candor and the time it took to offer an explanation. This can only help by serving as an educational vehicle for discussion among citizens who bother to read it and other postings on mixed use. I admire his courage and his honesty, and even though we are in opposition, I would and will support him for any future run for public office if asked (unless someone closer to my beliefs challanges him)

Update: October 26, 2009:

TM member David Johnson has made statements regarding his no vote and has submitted his own plan for improving the town center. To see that plan, click on his name in the sidebar and follow the appropriate links.

Update: October 31, 2009: Special Notes: If you see ** following a member’s name, it means there is a link to information s/he’s submitted in their defense or posted about their position elsewhere. I highly recommend that you read all of these links out of respect for the member’s work, for their right to a different opinion, to see another plan/perspective, and because all information should be considered prior to making a final decision of import. This is exactly what I expected out of Town Meeting Representatives. Failure to consider all aspects beyond petty disputes, disagreements, matters of trust with particular boards or individuals is what I am accusing the naysayers of doing. Let’s demonstrate that we can rise to a level many of them didn’t bother to consider, do our due diligence and only then arrive at our final, educated opinion.

For statements made via the comments boxes, go to http://www.ssn687.net/Billerica_Reps_Original.html