While we are waiting for Dan's prediction to turn into reality next week we can all stoke the fire of of our strong conviction that Wareham citizens will "blame the workman before they blame the tool" by going to "Google" and typing:  Mayor Corruption MA        .....And we're not talking about imaginary three million dollar embezzlements from a library copy machine...We're talking about what happens when you are governed by people who are allowed to work behind closed doors.

I'm just back from getting my morning "hit" at that Google site:  The number of entries about mayor corruption in our Commonwealth is 595,000.

I just came back from a long trip. I had the great opportunity to spend two days in Wareham.
Last Thursday I drove to Wareham, by myself, to look around again. A few weeks before I rode through Wareham and was shocked by the way it looked, especially Cranberry Highway.
But, this day was sunny and mild and everything looked better to me. Onset is still the pearl of the Town of Wareham. It has probably been impossible to destroy the Village of Onset with unrequited housing and developments. The Zoning has pretty much remained the same and it is beautiful!
I had breakfast downtown Onset and spoke to many friends that I have known for years, and new friends that I have known from this site and meeting them once or twice.
Virtually everyone in Onset thought I was crazy when I asked them if the wanted to change the form of government in Wareham to a Mayor/City Council. Most thought I was kidding.
No one liked the idea.
I visited with my dear friend and former colleague on the Board of Selectmen in 1977, Dick Post. We enjoyed the sun and the view from his porch just down the street from Besse's old marina.
He said, "You know, Biffy, 30 years ago you and I disagreed about the form of government in Wareham. You always thought we should go back to three full time Selectmen/Assessors.
I am telling you thirty years later you were right."
How come no one on the Charter Commission ever interviewed people like Dick Post? Or Ray Cardoza, or Claire McWilliams?
I have read the intellectual papers written by a professor. I am amazed by the lack of history that he has for the Town of Wareham.
The most successful form of government that Wareham ever had was three full time Selectmen/Assessors...read the minority report by Mr. Gay.
I was in favor of changing the form of government in the late 1960's and early 70's to a five member part time Board of Selectmen. I changed my mind three years before I was elected.
The Town Meeting form of government is the purist in this Nation. I know people say that only a few hundred voters attend Town Meeting and set the direction for the rest of the Town. It has ALWAYS been that way since I can remember and before.
Talk abut a representative form of government...the people who can't attend Town Meeting rely on those that can, and know, because they are neighbors and friends and relatives that they will vote for the best for the Town of Wareham on Town Meeting Floor.
They TRUST their neighbors and friends and relatives. Heck, they even trust some elected officials!!
The Town Meeting needs to refer this whole issue back to the the BOS to re-appoint a real Charter Review Committee that will review and not replace the Charter.
Pick members at large on the committee that have served the Town. Forget about having any elected officials on the Committee...what is the need?
Keep your form of government.
To all I saw last week, I miss you and appreciate our friendship!
I love Dick Wheeler!
Wareham can be saved. I can be saved by YOU!!

Look at what they want to do with the School Committee. They want to take away your right to vote for School Committee members.
HUH?

Very appropriate!!

DanO,

I love open town Meeting, warts and all. But DavidMeister has a point. Wouldn't having town Meeting Reps address some, perhaps not all, concerns about the Town Meeting? Perhaps a good intermediate step?

There is no "perfect" solution.

I do respectfully disagree on one point, the combined selectman/assessor role, on two levels. first, the assessing function has changed radically in the intervening time period, to the point that one board would be hard pressed to adequately perform the two functions. (Note, there used to be quite a few combined boards...are there any left?) Second, it is not clear to me that the BoS can properly handle the second role it has as sewer commishes.

Let there be a BoS. And, let there be separate, specialized Boards to handle specialized roles & functions. That's my opinion. It's free, and some think that it is wildly overpriced at that.