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#1 2010-07-18 19:39:15
Did anyone else notice the tension at the selectman’s meeting when Chris Riley gave his presentation? There seems to be some definite tension between Chris Riley and Brenda and maybe Jane. I think there is also a power struggle going on between the TA and Chris Riley. Does anyone have any info on the in fighting? There also seemed to be tension during Chris’s previous presentation.
Chris Riley has a plan to redo and revitalize Main Street; He is doing an excellent job. The guy just got a million dollar grant, and I think he knows what he is doing. I don’t understand why Brenda and Jane are opposed to Chris Riley giving $50,000 in matching funds to two Main Street businesses. Does anyone know which business’s he was referring to is it someone Brenda hates?
Brenda and Jane have no idea how hard it is for a small business to get a loan in today’s economy. Instead of going along with Chris’s suggestion Jane wants to use the money for more litter pick up and Brenda wants to plant more trees. I don’t think either one of them have any idea of what Chris is trying to accomplish. I think the biggest bang for the buck would be to fix up the storefronts on Main Street not use it for additional garbage pick ups.
Thank God Cara spoke up last week so Chris could get the 40 hours a week position approved a position that is being paid by a grant and has been gone waiting since 2009. If she hadn’t been as assertive as she was it would have been postponed at least another month.
I wasn’t really thrilled that Steve was ready to defer the decision for the 40 hour job to the TA for review.
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#2 2010-07-18 19:47:45
Brenda and Jane are control freaks. It doesn't matter how any one else's project would benefit Wareham. All that matters to them is that they get to control everything that happens in this town good or bad, and more often than not, it is bad.
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#3 2010-07-18 20:09:17
They can have control over the money and vote on how they want to spend it, but they should at least listen to Chris's advice as to what he thinks the biggest bang for the buck would be and what would most benifit Main Street
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#4 2010-07-18 20:33:16
Mixie wrote:
Brenda and Jane are control freaks. It doesn't matter how any one else's project would benefit Wareham.
There are all kinds of control freaks. Here's an entertaining guide that somehow still doesn't do justice to Brockton Brenda and The Crypt Keeper.
Auto-edited on 2020-08-11 to update URLs
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#5 2010-07-18 20:52:07
Ham of Peace here.
In theory, no, no one likes the idea of a business getting government money.
In reality, Wareham has alot of crapholes - buildings that are dilapidated and falling apart because the owners can't afford to fix them (or can but won't, as the case may be).
Bottomline is if grant money is available to fix up crappy buildings and make the town look less crappy as people drive through, then you're an idiot if you don't take advantage of it.
April 2011 - can't come soon enough.
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#6 2010-07-18 20:56:37
JANE AND BRENDA ARE JUST PLAIN STUPID AND ARE ANTBUSINESS , THEY DONT RELAIZE WHEN YOU HELP A BUSINESS YOU HELP PROVIDE JOBS , LOOK AT BRENDA DOES NOT HAV E A JOB ,THE SOONER WE WE GET THESE 2 WOMEN OUT OF OFFICE THE BETTER WAREHAM WILL BE ,SHE DOES NOT GET ALONG WITH CHRIS BECAUSE HE DOES NOT KISS HER BRASS RING , CANT STAND THESE 2 DOGS ,THEY HAVE SET WAREHAM BACK DECADES.
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#7 2010-07-18 20:57:42
I WOULD NOT REFER ANYTHING TO ANDREWS WHERE IT WILL DIE , HE IS JANE AND BRENDAS LACKEY
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#8 2010-07-19 07:31:40
They just don’t get what Chris is trying to do or they just don’t care. Maybe once 2 or 3 business’s on Main street invest in their storefronts other business’s will follow when grant money becomes available or maybe they will do it on their own. People driving through Wareham all summer to get to the Cape or who are from surrounding towns might notice the improvement. Maybe they will get out of their cars and start shopping on Main Street. Maybe someone who has an idea for a small business will take a risk on Main Street. Jane picking up more litter isn’t going to help inspire business. If you’re that obsessed about the litter start a volunteer group that might donate their time to pick up litter in certain areas you seem obsessed with cleaning.
Ihateliz is right deferring to the TA is like having something go into a black hole if Brenda and Jane don’t want it. I wanted to give the TA a chance but he has proven he is a liar and to me his creditability is gone. I don’t understand why Steve keeps deferring decisions to him instead of just voting on something. This town moves at a snails pace.
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#9 2010-07-19 09:00:25
Interestingly, the CEDA board members have full faith in Chris, just as they did with Marilyn W. They are the ones who work with the CEDA director the most. Chris said at a previous BoS meeting that it is problematic for him when one selectman is telling him to do one thing while another is telling him to do the opposite.
Our CEDA directors have been put between a rock and a hard place and it must stop. We need economic development!!!
We are a coastal town and could be a great tourist destination. Our full time residents need jobs. The town needs tax revenue.
Let the CEDA director and his Board of Directors do their jobs!!!
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#10 2010-07-19 22:18:41
Marny, The following links will get you the info needed to fully (or at least better) understand the relationship OR what should be the relationship between CEDA, it's "Board of Officers", the TA, the BOS and even the planner (if we ever get one...). In fact a good CEDA director could fill some of that void as a planner if our own leadership and management read these documents (ACTS and laws). MGL 121B and C are also in part, or at least spell out, the powers and duties of all relevant parties.
http://archives.lib.state.ma.us/actsRes … ts0270.pdf
http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw04/sl040383.htm
I would like to point out for the readers here that in the very first section of the Acts of 2004 the following:
There is hereby established a Community and Economic Development Authority of the town, hereinafter referred to as the authority, which shall be an operating agency and an urban renewal agency within the meaning of chapter 121B of the General Laws. The powers of the authority under said chapter 121B shall be exercised in conformity with the restrictions contained in the act. The authority shall be managed, controlled and governed by a board of officers, comprised of 7 members, to be appointed by the board of selectmen to 3 year terms, but the original appointments shall be arranged so that as nearly as possible the terms of 1/3 of members expire each year. The town administrator, the town planner and any other town officer may attend and speak at all meetings of the board, but may not vote.
Now for those of you with reading and comprehension skills, it's pretty straight forward huh ? SO...why would the BOS inject themselves AGAIN and pass along any oversight to the TA when he has absolutely NO VOTING
RIGHTS ?
In fact, I would argue that the BOS don't have any rights other than to appoint the Board of Officers. BUT...not so fast ! Then read Section 8 of the Acts of 1977 and draw your own conclusion. It's somewhat contradictory. I'd chalk it up as oversite and not deliberate (glass half full ...?).
At least it all makes for interesting reading.
Marny, I hope some of this helps. : )
Last edited by bbrady (2010-07-19 22:24:13)
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#11 2010-07-20 07:18:23
Bob thank you so much for the information. I think all the members of the BOS should be sent a copy of this just as a reminder and the TA should also receive a copy.
The reports Chris gives the selectman are interesting and it keeps the people in town updated on what is going on. It shouldn’t become a battle of power. He doesn’t need 5 selectmen telling him what to do or a TA who may or may not be weak TA because he has to suck up to the selectman to keep his job.
A perfect example of the selectman ineptness is the 40 hour position that took more than a year to get approval for even though the funding was through a grant that Ceda received in 2009.The fact that the money was there in 2009 and the job wasn’t filled simply amazes me and points out yet again how dysfunctional this town can be.
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