To the Editor:
Stockbridge’s “Baby Town Meeting” will be held at Town Offices on Monday, May 11 at 6:30 p.m. For those who do not know its purpose it is to discuss next fiscal year’s Town Budget. Taxpayers need to come to this meeting and show they care about how their money is being spent. I suspect if the Selectboard sees that the citizens are engaged they would do things a bit differently.
I remember when my sons were of elementary school age and there was a printed cartoonish character in kids’ game books called “Where’s Waldo?” For those who may not have seen this: Waldo had a particularly cute image. His image was famous among the young and was hidden in very busy drawings of other similar images. The trick was to find Waldo’s image among the rest. Of course, each “puzzle” was different in each of the many puzzles that, I think, even ended up on some kid’s cereal boxes.
It occurred to me this evening, after glancing over my recently received Town Report, that the financial report of next year’s budget reminded me of “Where’s Waldo?” I find it amazing that our voters vote to approve this article or that article, bestowing funds, without fully understanding how much and what for because there are hidden and confusing elements. “Where’s Waldo?”
Rick Wilcox is a hard act to follow and to do that Chief [Robert M.] Eaton deserves our sympathy for having to follow in those tracks. Rick knew everyone in town pretty well and Chief Eaton is doing his best to meet the people BUT… In 2012 Rick’s budget was $360,474. I think that year went well with little or no controversy. According to “The Eagle” article last Wednesday Chief Eaton is asking for just short of $672,000 for next year!
This is Stockbridge for goodness sake – 1,800 plus souls 10 months out of the year! The second-home owners show up in July and August increasing the population, but doubtfully, to 8,000, as The Chief mentioned to The Eagle reporter. These summer folk come to enjoy music, theatre, and the arts. I don’t think their M.O.’s include crime. Also in Rick’s day he personally directed traffic at The Red Lion Inn corner during a busy concert day. Last summer it was a free for all and chaos prevailed.
More “Where’s Waldo?”: The Selectboard’s combined salaries in 2012 were $42,865. This year’s Town Report says they are asking for $138,400? Maybe, like some departed town officials and employees, their “job description changed” to justify this incredible increase? “Where’s Waldo?” Their benefits package changed considerably and who voted that? “Where’s Waldo” in Stockbridge Town Offices?
Taxpayers should come to the Baby Town Meeting next Monday if they care how their money is being spent. As in many situations, the devil tends to be in the details. Let’s try to find “Waldo” during that meeting.
John H. Hart
Rattlesnake Road
Stockbridge
