Comment on Proposed Changes to Dedham's Town Charter

Dear Editor:

            I urge Dedham residents to attend the next Board of Selectmen meeting on Thursday,  September 5, 2013 when the propsed changes to the Town Charter will be discussed.

            All of town’s elected boards, including the Board of Assessors, should remain elected.  Change can and has taken place in the voting booth in the Annual Town Elections of this year and last year.  The solution is to encourage more Dedham voters to run for town wide elected positions, which will lead to higher voter turnout.

            The town’s current departmental directors who report to elected boards, such as the Parks and Recreation Commission, should continue to report to these elected boards not report to the Town Administrator/Manager is has been proposed.  This would be the same thing as having the Superintendent of Schools report to the Town Administrator/Manager rather than currently reporting to the Dedham School Committee.

            Currently, Dedham Parks and Recreation facilities and programs are second to none in this state.  The Parks and Recreation Director, Bob Stanley, has done a superb job and has an excellent working relationship with the Parks and Recreation Commissioners.  In short, if it isn’t broke, why fix it!

            I support the proposed term limits for elected town officials.  Those elected town officials serving 3-year terms would be limited to four consecutive terms; those serving 5-year terms would be limited to three consecutive terms.  There would be more turnover in the town’s elected boards, which will bring new blood and fresh ideas to town government.  I also support having all elected town officials, except for the Town Clerk, serve without pay.

            While I praise Bill Keegan for a good job performance as Town Administrator, I oppose conferring any more powers to the proposed Town Manager position.  The Board of Selectmen, Town Meeting, and, eventually,  Dedham voters should not confer any more power to the Town Administrator/Manager.  Let’s keep the Town of Dedham a town and not turn it into a city!

Daniel F. Sullivan

98 Curve Street

District Six