Sussman, Dykens and Linnell

            Douglas Ann Bohman leaves some pretty big shoes to fill.  A selectmen since 1993, she’s participated in every major decision made in town government over the past 15 years and has always been a mediating voice on the board.  She will step down when her term expires next Thursday, May 15.

            In the annual town election held that day, three candidates are vying for the vacancy left by Bohman’s departure.  We believe Leonard Sussman is the candidate best able to do the job.

            As chairman of the planning board for the past year, Sussman has shown leadership that’s resulted in some revisions to the zoning bylaw actually making it to town meeting next week.  Rewriting that decades-old document has been a thankless task, but Sussman has kept the board on task with specific revisions, eschewing the “big picture” approach for a more concentrated effort at addressing those sections that need updating the most.  He will bring his tenacity, work ethic and penchant for doing copious research on a subject to the board of selectmen, where those traits will serve him, and the town, well.  As an architect, Sussman has a keen sense of the town’s character and a methodical approach to problem solving.  Through his work with the planning board, he’s also shown an ability to consider other points of view.  Selectmen have several important decisions to make in the next few years, chiefly related to expansion of the town’s wastewater system. While his will be just one voice among five, we believe Sussman will make a positive contribution to those and other decisions. We urge his election May 15.

            The school committee also faces some critical challenges in the next few years.  With school choice revenue flat, the department will be hard pressed to come up with the additional revenue necessary to maintain what many consider a top-notch school system.  New and novel approaches will have to be found, which will require a school committee that’s a bit more aggressive and inquisitive than in recent years. We were heartened, however, by the declaration of all three candidates running for the two open seats on the committee that they supported some level of regional cooperation with Harwich.  Nobody realistically expects the two systems to regionalize, but on a limited level, sharing of resources can go a long way toward solving problems in both school departments. 

            Of the three candidates, we endorse Jeffrey Dykens and Susan Linnell.  Dykens, the committee’s current chairman, has the financial acumen necessary to guide the committee through the upcoming rough water.  Although a newcomer to town politics, Linnell impressed us with her candor and enthusiasm.  Both candidates will help move the school department to the level it needs to be at to continue to be one of the Cape’s top public education systems.

Post Selectmen’s Packets Online

            Last week Chatham selectmen squandered an opportunity to show their commitment to openness in local government, by rejecting resident Stephen Buckley’s idea for posting their meeting packets online.  True, most of the weekly paperwork is pretty dry and of limited public interest, but according to town staff, putting the documents online is a simple matter.  Selectman Debbie Connors, who has championed the use of the town’s website to make government more accessible, surprisingly rejected Buckley’s proposal.  One argument she made is that the packets would include meeting minutes that have not yet been approved by the board—an obvious red herring, since all meeting minutes are public documents, whether they’ve been approved or not.  Selectman Douglas Ann Bohman said she didn’t relish the idea of being questioned by constituents about something in the packet that she hasn’t yet had time to research, but we know selectmen face inquiries like that all the time.   Board Chairman David Whitcomb suggested that putting the packets online might discourage people from attending meetings in person, but we’re unconvinced.  By that logic, putting meetings on television is counterproductive.

            Let’s face it.  There can never be too much transparency in government. 

2/8/08 

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