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To the Editor,
The recall effort is not about an alleged and unfounded town charter violation or a two-week delay in the hiring of the police chief. Its roots had its foundation in the fact that Vanessa Alvarado had the audacity to defeat John Arena, the leader at the time of the then conservative boys club who comprised the Select Board, to secure her first term on the Select Board. Vanessa was targeted for two reasons: she is an assertive, activist, independent woman and this is part of an overall strategic plan by a small group of citizens who are determined to “take back their town” by reclaiming a majority on the Board. Electing Carlo Bacci was step one, the write-in candidacy of Halsey was to be step two, and then the recall of Vanessa was to be the final piece.
Putting aside the arrogance of this group who feel that only they know what is best for the town, they have every right to attempt to gain a majority on the Select Board. But trying to ruin the reputation of a good person by manufacturing reasons for a recall is inexcusable.
As for John Halsey, does he really expect us to believe that he is not an active participant in the grand design and power grab? He is being disingenuous at best when he was quoted recently as saying that he is not running against Vanessa. Of course, he is. He even had the nerve to state that he is running as a favor to the town because the current select Board is so inexperienced and really needs his expertise. Actual involvement in town governance through serving for years on town meeting and on the town’s finance committee, Mark Dockser, Anne Landry, and Karen Herrick all have more experience than John.
The recall needs to be defeated to send a clear message that the management of town government is too important to allow a chosen few to undermine its proper functioning. No volunteer working on behalf of the town should need fear that they might be subject to such mistreatment for simply doing the job for which they were elected, and in doing it in an independent manner.
John O’Neill
Summer Avenue
