Let me clarify my positions on some recent matters that have come before the Camden Select Board.

 

As often happens when I'm downtown, someone asked me questions this morning trying to understand the select board votes on Tuesday night.

 

It was a great conversation and the person I spoke to thanked me for explaining my perspective and the votes I made on the Montgomery Dam / River Restoration matter and regarding the Tannery potential contract.

 

In both instances I wanted my vote to be consistent.

 

Regarding the Montgomery Dam / River Restoration petitions, I voted to not include either on the June ballot.

 

Why? Because we don't have enough information on either option for people to make an informed vote. Yes, it's an emotional issue for both sides but at this point a vote for most people would be a guess on the best path forward.

 

A guess on an issue this important is not a good solution.

 

I had heard at a prior select board meeting that both sides of the issue would be very happy to have a citizens advisory board to study the issue and make recommendations. So I came in to this week’s meeting thinking that a postponement of the vote either way would be the best course of action until we have enough information about the choices both for and against and with more study of the science involved.

 

And that having representatives from both sides serving on an advisory committee would work towards getting those answers in a fair and balanced way.

 

I was surprised that some felt we needed to rush the vote and make a decision now.

 

Why? This is not a race. It's a huge decision and hopefully with enough research, education and information the townspeople will be able to make a fair and informed decision.

 

What is important is for everyone to understand that we were not canceling the vote so we could make it behind closed doors, as some suggested. This was a postponement of a very important decision that needs more time.

 

And it's also important for everyone to understand that the way our town government structure works - the select board cannot make this decision on our own. That's not allowed by law. We have to put major decisions like this up for a town vote. We have to - it's the law. But we can wait to put an issue up for a town vote until the right time.

 

That's what we did.

 

And that's what I wanted for the town vote on the Tannery potential contract.

 

The town has voted every year for years that in this specific situation any contract for the Tannery property needs to be voted on by the citizens.

 

But because the negotiations on a potential contract for the Tannery property are not complete, not even close to being completed, some felt we should rush the vote and get it on the ballot just to get it done.

 

To me, that's completely opposite to the vote we took on the Montgomery Dam / River Restoration issue.

 

There we voted to delay until all the facts are in.

 

Regarding the Tannery: The Select Board majority voted to put the issue on the ballot before all the facts of the deal are known.

 

I voted against that.

 

In both cases I voted to delay an uninformed, rushed vote.

 

We need to be consistent.

 

Regarding one other issue: I recently have had discussions with two Rockport Select Board members about our differences on the wastewater issue.

 

We agreed that we need to work this out reasonably, fairly and without non-helpful rhetoric.

 

I also had a long conversation with our wastewater director to learn about the science, facts and issues regarding this situation so a good solution can be found that works for everyone.

 

We will find that solution.

 

We need to be consistent.