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Voters choose new selectman Tuesday
The race began with David Gray, Patty Roggeveen and Nancy Sevrens, who were then joined by Arch McColl, Grant Sanders and Catherine Stover. Sevrens and Sanders withdrew and McColl unexpectedly died from a heart attack on Oct. 22, leaving Gray, Roggeveen and Stover as the only competitors. Gray, 42, is a master plumber and currently serves on the Conservation Commission and Sewer Advisory Committee. He ran against Michael Kopko this year and had planned to run in 2007 before the interim vacancy came up.
Stover, 54, is Town Clerk and serves on the Cemetery Commission Workgroup and Board of Registrars. She was not planning to run next year, but her interest in planning and growth management prompted her to compete for the open seat. The Independent caught up with the candidates, also questioned by a panel of press representatives last Friday during the Civic League's Meet the Candidates forum, to ask them to respond to six more inquiries before the election. 1. What essential goals do you believe the selectmen need to try to accomplish in the upcoming three years? Gray: He believes infrastructure improvements and maintenance, better fiscal management and continued efforts to establish a harbor plan with regulations and bylaws that also address water quality are vital goals.
Roggeveen: She believes the budget and fiscal implications of proposed projects are at the top of the selectmen's priority list. "In a year of three overrides the selectmen need to look at long term fiscal planning as a high priority," she said. "We need to address the financial management of the town, not just for FY08 but for five to 10 years out to the future. I'm frustrated there has not been more discussion since we are already into November." Stover: She believes it is important to obtain an accurate count of the island's population so services are in line with need, to establish a coastal management plan and to address erosion and water quality issues. She also believes it is vital to have a plan to deal with the scope of infrastructure including sewers, roads, schools and transportation, to attend closely to financial and administrative management and focus on quality of life issues such as affordable housing, ensuring people have adequate food, health insurance and fuel assistance. "I want to promote a reevaluation of staff to maybe increase interdepartmental cooperation," she said. "Instead of having floating employees, perhaps people in departments could be on loan to other departments for a week or two during busy times. And we need to engage town employees more to boost morale and show them that they are taken seriously and that they know their jobs." 2. What do you feel are the current board's strong points and areas that should be improved? Gray: In spite of a few somewhat rough months in the past, Gray believes the board's ability to work together is improving and recognizes that it is common for board members to have occasional conflicts. Though he wants to see better communication among all town departments and the board, he has one particular issue. "I feel a lot of the micromanagement that takes place needs to stop," he said. "If you hire an individual to do a job, let them do it. If they fall down, help them up, don't do their job for them." Roggeveen: She believes the board's strong points rest in how well they have organized their agendas to be more predictable and clear on upcoming issues and when they will be discussed, and also that parameters for public participation have been reintroduced so residents understand what is expected at meetings. "I am disturbed at what I see as less public input and less of a forum for discussion at the board of selectmen table, itself," she said. "Having been at sewer committee meetings I know there is good discussion there, but there is need for better reporting at the meeting. And I believe there needs to be more dialogue at selectmen's meetings. I know that requires good management which can be difficult, but it is essential to hearing the many and varied interests of the community. Also, I have appreciated updates from the Planning Board and would like to hear more from the Finance Committee and other players involved in budget planning." Stover: She believes the board is strong and that each member works hard towards improving Nantucket's future. "The only thing that might be improved is that they need to let people know when they get something done," she said. "Some things have to be done in executive session, but let us know that you're working on it." 3. How would you contribute to enhancing the board's strengths and helping to correct weaknesses? Gray: "I feel I can bring a different mix to the board and help them with some of the day to day issues that arise that deal with the construction, roadwork and our infrastructure - the nuts and bolts of our community." Roggeveen: "I have been involved in the last year attending the selectmen and their goal setting meetings, the audit committee, the FinCom, and becoming very familiar with the issues. I'm really ready to go. I'm familiar with the different boards and their administrators and members. I also feel I bring a perspective to the board as a working parent and want to encourage greater community participation in town government and civic associations." Stover: "I think what I bring is a familiarity with how town government works and how the departments work. I've made a lot of good connections in the state. There is a wealth of ideas out there I can access easily. I think I'm very creative and I can think outside the box. I think I would be a good selectman because I have an institutional memory about the island and town government, and I am approachable and open-minded." 4. Do you believe it is appropriate for a selectman to be a town employee? Gray: He does not believe this relationship is appropriate now that he is no longer a town employee himself (DPW) and has begun to participate more in government and with meeting attendance. "I find it would be nearly impossible today to be able to successfully perform at either position as the townspeople would expect and demand from an individual," he said. Roggeveen: Acknowledging that she and Stover both receive pay from the town and that Gray once did, she said ultimately the decision on appropriateness should fall to voters, but made a distinction she believes is important to consider. "The core question is the relationship between the supervisor and staff. If you are elected and [Town Administrator Libby Gibson] is your boss as a town employee but you become her boss as a selectman, it is inappropriate. As part of the school staff, the superintendent is my boss and he reports directly to the school committee, so the situation is separate from the selectmen under state law." Stover: "It depends on whether you are talking about taking a paycheck from the town or being a union employee," she said. "If you are a union employee, absolutely not because you would be expected to vote on your own contract." 5. Do you believe the Planning Board and Historic District Commission should be appointed by the selectmen rather than be elected? Gray: "I feel these positions are extremely important and I feel appointed members would have more accountability to the people than elected members. These positions, I believe, should be more regulated as to attendance records and quarterly reports to the town administration." Roggeveen: Knowing the Town Government Study Committee is proposing this change in a warrant article, Roggeveen said she believes the topic should first be a point of discussion for the community with a number of models showing positive and negative aspects for the public to decide on. Stover: Stover feels she needs more information on this question, particularly what opinions have been formed by the Town Government Study Committee. "If things aren't progressing maybe we could institute term limits on a rotation basis," she said. 6. Do you think that Town Meeting is no longer efficient and effective and that Nantucket should consider a representative form of Town Meeting? Gray: "I feel town meeting to be a very important part of our community. However, with the lack of participation in this forum we have come to a point in time where we need to look forward," said Gray. "Maybe we should consider as a ballot question to the residents if we should go to a different form of government. I believe Town Meeting on Nantucket has lived its useful life and we may need to explore a new venue. I also feel the Board of Selectmen has just about become a full time position, maybe in the form of an elected city council with five members and a town manager as well." Roggeveen: Again, Roggeveen believes such a change should first be examined through models used in other towns and discussed before action is taken. "Tinkering with power relationships and Town Meeting isn't really helping us reach our goals," she said. "My hope from the study committee is for them to provide us a starting point for public discussion on Town Meeting and appointing boards now elected. My hope would be that we use the opportunity of having this town study committee to step back and look at our model of government as a whole." Stover: "I think to get a representative model through would be difficult," said Stover. "People are very attached to Town Meeting. If people were participating more it would become more efficient and effective than it is. I don't think it's apathy - I think people are tired after working all day and they've got kids. Either that or they really trust the people in the front of the room who are making the decisions." I |
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