Letter to the Editor: Hold Elected Officials Accountable for Their Actions

Dear Editor

I am writing this letter to discuss accountability in government. Accountability means ensuring that individuals in positions of responsibility, whether in the public or private sectors, provide clear and full disclosure of plans, processes, and information.

We have had our fair share of government mismanagement recently, where there has been a lack of accountability. The taxpayers of Chelmsford expect our government to be open and responsive with answers and solutions, instead of hiding behind closed doors. Specifically I am discussing the fiscal mismanagement of the School Committee and the Superintendent. It has been known for at least 10 YEARS that a crisis in education funding was coming to Chelmsford. This information and possible solutions were laid out in a 2005 report entitled: “CHAPTER 70 STATE FUNDING WREAKING HAVOC ON CHELMSFORD EDUCATION DECISIONS,” by Eric Andrus, a former Board member of the Chelmsford Schools Foundation. I do not believe the School Board and Superintendent were unaware of the coming debt crisis.

It seems beyond credibility for the Superintendent to claim he had no knowledge of the school systems finances. He is accountable for every aspect of the Chelmsford school system. Placing blame onto a budget administrator and then refusing to discuss the matter with the public is unacceptable. The buck is supposed to stop with him. As for the School Board it is tasked with providing oversight and direction to the Superintendent and the school system, it seems to have failed in these responsibilities. Either the School Board knew about the debt crisis and did nothing, or it was completely oblivious to the coming debt. Layoffs and cutbacks may have been avoided with proper planning.

The Board of Selectman is not blameless in this whole fiasco. The Select Board should not only be addressing these issues with Mass DOE, but also with state legislators, and the Governor’s Office. Chelmsford has no less than four State Representatives who are supposed to represent the interests of our community. Every member of the Select Board should be in contact with our State Representatives and State Senator weekly, trying to get our Chapter 70 education funding sorted out. The current and past Select Boards have not been proactive enough in getting Chelmsford the funding we deserve. The same levels of funding that our neighboring communities receive. Due to these failures, our property taxes have skyrocketed 41.5% in the past ten years.

Elections are the main way for citizens to hold elected officials accountable for their actions. It is requisite that citizens have the knowledge to make educated decisions. It is the responsibility of elected and appointed officials to inform the citizens, for whom they work, about the current state of town affairs, including financial affairs. If people are not well informed, they cannot act in their own best interests.

When we provide less accountability and less transparency we discourage people from getting involved with the process, take for example the number of positions still open for this year’s Town Meeting. As Town Meeting Representative for Precinct 5, I make it my priority to reach out to the people I represent to learn about their concerns, and to keep them informed on the issues which are coming before the town governing bodies. It is time for all of us to put this type of accountability into action.

Louis G. Marino

Candidate for Board of Selectmen, Chelmsford