LaMantia Throw Hat Into Ring For Harwich Selectman

by William F. Galvin

            HARWICH – With five weeks remaining before the deadline for nomination papers for the May election, two candidates have stated their intention to run for seats on the board of selectmen.

            Incumbent Selectman Robin Wilkins took out papers a few weeks ago.  He is now joined by finance committee member Angelo LaMantia, who made his intentions known this week. There are two seats up for election on the board and incumbent Selectman Peter Piekarski said he will not make a decision on whether he will run until March.

            LaMantia said he called Piekarski to let him know he planned to run for the seat. LaMantia said Piekarski also told him he will not make his decision until March. The final day for taking out nomination papers for the May 20 election is March 28. Documents must be filed by April 1.

            “I think I’ve got three good years left and I can contribute with the same amount of energy I have the last three years,” Wilkins said of his decision to seek another term.

            “I think I’ve been apprenticing for the past eight or nine years,” LaMantia said.

Presently a member of the finance committee and capital outlay committee, LaMantia has also served as chairman of the planning board, a member of the affordable housing committee and was chairman of the ad hoc town operations review committee, which did a lengthy study of town operations and made more than 150 recommendations for improvements.

He first started coming to Harwich in 1964 and moved here from New Jersey, where he was an executive with the Thomas J. Lipton Company, on a full-time basis in 1997.

LaMantia said planning for the future is a primary goal. While serving in various capacities he sees some very serious issues facing the town and questioned whether the town is organized and prepared to address costly projects such as high school facility needs and wastewater management.

The town has taken steps to consolidate and improve, he said, citing the recent creation of a finance department and efforts underway to centralize vehicle maintenance. He said many steps have been taken to implement recommendations of the operation review task force, although others need to be explored and will take longer to address.

In some instances the town has examined recommendations and decided against implementation, he added.

            LaMantia said planning is essential to the town’ future. He said a five-year financial plan put in place this year shows the town will quickly be running a deficit. He said the town must begin planning to manage that deficit.

            “Our decisions have to be more facts-based and I think I can help in that area,” LaMantia said.

            Looking at finances, LaMantia said a town budget buys services and people, and if the numbers don’t work it impacts services. He said his goal will be to get services at a reasonable cost to the taxpayer and that will require cost-saving measures such as those recommended by the operations review task force.

            The candidate praised the efforts of the school building needs committee for looking at a host of alternatives, including regionalization, while studying how the town should proceed with addressing building needs.

            LaMantia had several questions about space needs at the newly proposed police station. He said there is a need to look at the way building committees deal with the process of putting a plan together. A system must be designed that deals with the board issues up front and identifies everybody’s needs, he said.

“It is clear the police need a new home,” LaMantia said. “They’re not working in good conditions and probably not safe conditions. But anecdotal information gets you an elementary school in Brewster.”

The candidate also said all town actions must be transparent and more and more information must be made available to everyone so residents understand what decisions are made.

Wilkins said when he decided to run for selectmen three years ago he looked to his previous work life and his ability to deal with divergent groups in a culture of cooperation. Having served on the school committee, he saw there was a bit of tension on the board of selectmen and thought his background was transferable to that board. 

The board chairman said it is important to listen to each person’s opinion because they are different and unique and work to do the right thing for the people of Harwich. “Doing the right thing may not always be a popular,” he admitted, citing a loss of friends over decisions relative to the municipal golf course.

Wilkins said he listened to enough voices on the question of change to Medicare for retirees in the special town meeting and they did the right thing by postponing that decision. There has been a lot of change, Wilkins said, citing reform of the town’s health insurance plan as one cost-savings measure.

Many recommendations of the operations review task force have been implemented during his tenure, Wilkins said. He cited changes that have the police and fire chiefs reporting to the town administrator and said the board listened to the people when approving joint public safety dispatch.

Wilkins also cited the five-year financial plan, creation of a director of finance and discussions about a school/town personnel management system. He said discussions are moving forward on centralized vehicle maintenance and beach management. Harbor management plans have been put in place and the next step is to fully align them.

Speaking of health insurance reform -- which also translated into property and liability reform – Wilkins said town employees are to be commended for a willingness to participate.

“I think it’s been good,” Wilkins said of progress in the past three years. “A measure of how you’re doing is how far you’re getting down the list of things you want to accomplish.”

Wilkins said there have been accomplishments, but there is still unfinished business.

2/21/08