With the November 2024 election results favoring Andrew Moran, our community seems to be heading toward a direction that many, including myself, are concerned about: governance by a single party. Regardless of political affiliation, single-party dominance rarely benefits anyone. A balanced leadership with diverse ideologies and perspectives fosters healthier governance, especially in a small town like ours, which feels more like a budding small city—a topic for another day.

The Town Council Reorganization meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 7, at 6 PM. (Unfortunately, this meeting conflicts with the BOE meeting.) The full agenda for the meeting can be accessed here.

During the meeting, the Oath of Office will be administered to incumbent John Foster and newcomer Andrew Moran. I know both individuals personally and can attest to their dedication to serving our community for the right reasons.

Following the Oath of Office, the Council will nominate a President and Vice President. Last year, these positions were held by Foster and Poage, respectively. On a personal note, I have had positive experiences working with John Foster. He has been one of the most effective and stable Council Presidents we have had, and I hope to see him continue in this role. However, knowing the dynamics of local democratic politics, I fear that efforts may be made to undermine Foster’s leadership—a disheartening possibility at the start of a new year. There is lingering concern about a current Council member who ran a “non-partisan” campaign supporting three candidates for the 2024 Board of Education election. Does anyone else see red flags?

As with the BOE, many of the resolutions on the agenda are standard and procedural. Notably, Ms. Viana will continue to serve as Public Agency Compliance Officer and Alternate Fund Commissioner, while Barbara Russo remains as Fund Commissioner. August Santore will retain his role as Public Defender, and James Hopkins will continue as Chief of the BHFD. Key appointments include Machado to the Board of Health, Poage to the Planning Board, Couto and Foster to the Downtown Beautification Committee, Illis to the Economic Development Committee, Foster to the Historic Preservation Committee, Moran to Veteran Affairs, and Machado and Poage to the Grants Committee. Illis will also oversee Senior Affairs.

New resolutions for 2025 will introduce the formal establishment of the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign and the Mayor’s Youth Council—exciting initiatives that could positively impact our community.

Attendance for this meeting will be in-person only, held in Council Chambers. Those unable to attend in person can view the proceedings via Zoom; access information is available here.

Read More Town Council Agenda and Meeting Summaries

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