At a not-too-distant Select Board meeting, I suggested that town boards and committees that request funding from Town Meeting via a specific warrant article include in their subsequent Annual Town Report the status of that request.
In other words, if they asked for $1 million to buy a widget or implement a worthy goal, let the town know how much of their authorized funds were actually spent and whether the project is now complete. If not complete, what’s the plan? I’m not looking for a long essay or tons of detail. I just believe that if a group asks for, and then gets, a sum of money from Town Meeting, they should be required to let the town know both the status of the project and the amount of approved funding that was used.
I offer this suggestion because the request by the fire chief for funding to dredge and restore the fire ponds sticks in my mind because we voted three times on that item, with the source and amount of funds changing each time. The work dragged on and on, and as far as I am aware today, is still not complete. Perhaps if folks know that they are going to need to disclose their progress (or lack thereof), they will be more diligent about keeping their promise to the town. At the very least, the town will better understand the full cycle of these (often expensive) improvement projects.
For bonus points: Put a picture of the new widget in the annual report.
Paul Green
Old Littleton Road
Editor’s note: The author has sent this letter to the Select Board, town administrator, and moderator.
