I’m writing to urge Belmont to re-elect Mike Crowley as town moderator. Over the last year under Mike’s leadership, there’s been a clear shift from Town Meeting feeling like a rubber stamp to Town Meeting being valued as a deliberative legislative body.
Mike believes in — and understands — the “separation of powers” between the Select Board (Belmont’s executive branch) and Town Meeting (Belmont’s legislative branch). Mike has also taken steps to educate and empower Town Meeting members, including posting guidelines so everyone can understand how to introduce new legislation and amend bylaws.
Mike exhibits humility and is open to input. He solicits–and values –feedback. For example, Mike conducted a survey of Town Meeting Members. That’s the first time in my 12 years on Town Meeting that the moderator has actively solicited our opinions and ideas. When it comes to committee appointments, our previous moderator made appointments behind closed doors: no one knew when someone new was appointed or why. Frequent automatic reappointments led to very little turnover, preventing the inclusion of new voices with fresh approaches to Belmont’s financial problems. Mike has brought much-needed transparency to the process by establishing a Moderator’s Advisory Committee, chosen by Town Meeting Members, that interviews potential appointees.
Mike has plenty of requisite experience and qualifications — including a career in finance and budgeting, and years of service to Belmont — but Mike’s not a politician. We need new people in town government, broader representation in Town Meeting, and different faces on the Warrant Committee and the Bylaw Review Committee. Belmont needs to shift away from the status quo, and it’s a breath of fresh air to finally have a moderator who is committed to making long-overdue changes. Please join me in voting to re-elect Mike Crowley on Tuesday April 7.
Julie Crockett, Trapelo Road
Crowley Not the Status Quo
I’m writing to urge Belmont to re-elect Mike Crowley as town moderator. Over the last year under Mike’s leadership, there’s been a clear shift from Town Meeting feeling like a rubber stamp to Town Meeting being valued as a deliberative legislative body.
Mike believes in — and understands — the “separation of powers” between the Select Board (Belmont’s executive branch) and Town Meeting (Belmont’s legislative branch). Mike has also taken steps to educate and empower Town Meeting members, including posting guidelines so everyone can understand how to introduce new legislation and amend bylaws.
Mike exhibits humility and is open to input. He solicits–and values –feedback. For example, Mike conducted a survey of Town Meeting Members. That’s the first time in my 12 years on Town Meeting that the moderator has actively solicited our opinions and ideas. When it comes to committee appointments, our previous moderator made appointments behind closed doors: no one knew when someone new was appointed or why. Frequent automatic reappointments led to very little turnover, preventing the inclusion of new voices with fresh approaches to Belmont’s financial problems. Mike has brought much-needed transparency to the process by establishing a Moderator’s Advisory Committee, chosen by Town Meeting Members, that interviews potential appointees.
Mike has plenty of requisite experience and qualifications — including a career in finance and budgeting, and years of service to Belmont — but Mike’s not a politician. We need new people in town government, broader representation in Town Meeting, and different faces on the Warrant Committee and the Bylaw Review Committee. Belmont needs to shift away from the status quo, and it’s a breath of fresh air to finally have a moderator who is committed to making long-overdue changes. Please join me in voting to re-elect Mike Crowley on Tuesday April 7.
Julie Crockett, Trapelo Road