How can the Salem Town Charter Commission achieve success? I personally believe it boils down to 3 criteria I like to refer to as “The 3D’s”…
- Diversity.
Salem, NH has as very diverse population of close to 30.000 residents. There are also commercial interests to consider. The Town Charter Commission will have to make recommendations and/or take actions that will impact some or all of these constituents. If the commission is to be remotely successful, it’s representation should be as diverse as the community itself.
My greatest concern with the current candidate pool is the potential to be “loaded” with one type of experience base, interest or belief. This type of makeup will only cause preconceived skepticism by the voter base, limiting even the best of intentioned commission members. It also runs the risk of limiting the discussion of ideas and thoughts around our town charter.
As a voter, you should take time on May 19th (election day) when selecting your candidates. Not only should you look at individuals; you should step back and look at your selections as a whole and ask -
“Will these selections make up a group of people who best reflects all of the interests of our community?”
- Decision-Making.
Without a doubt, the Town Charter Commission will have to make decisions that will not be accepted by all. As the old saying goes, “You can’t please all of the people all of the time.” The members of the Charter Commission will not only have to commit to due diligence and research; they may have to make decisions and come to conclusions that will likely not be popular with all. Even more important is the fact that they may have to come to conclusions that they themselves may not like, but are the best thing for Salem as a whole.
I entered this race looking to represent the entire resident base of Salem. There are those that I agree with and those that I disagree with. I view my role in this commission to do the research, listen to the discussion and debate and vote for what works best for the community-at-large. This commission is too important to be used to promote personal gain or the gain of a small group.
As a voter, I encourage you to look at each candidate, their views and background and ask yourself the question -
“Will this candidate represent my interests? The interests of my neighborhood? The interests of all of Salem?”
- Discussion.
I have stated before and will continue to state – The issues around the Town Charter require as broad a discussion as is possible. This discussion should occur within the commission, but should also occur outside of the commission. You cannot represent the issues and beliefs of a community if you have not taken the time to hear them. To take this one step further (and quite bluntly) – the discussions of a group of friends or a small group does not equate to the community as a whole.
I was a bit distressed to hear some of my fellow candidates discuss their viewpoints in the first-person and state that this was the reason for running. How can you hope to serve the community when your mindset starts and ends with a community of one?
I will continue to encourage this all-important discussion regarding the town charter to be as inclusive as possible. I want to be a part of this discussion as a resident of Salem. I need to be a participant of this discussion if I am to best represent the interests of Salem as a whole. I challenge all other candidates to be part of this discussion as well. I offer this web site as but one possible forum for a dialog. I am also willing to take the conversation wherever else it needs to go, so long as it is a healthy discussion and is inclusive.
When deciding who you should elect to the Salem Town Charter Commission, I urge you to ask -
“Is this candidate willing to listen to and talk to myself and others in the community with a stake in our future?”
Our special election is less than one month away. Now is the time to think about your choices for the Salem Town Charter. I hope the “3D’s” approach will help you to determine who best represents our town.