Over the past several months, I have attended our Bridgewater council meetings. At the last meeting (google “10-10-24 Bridgewater Council Meeting youtube” to view), my comments about the mayor and to the council were tough, and I refused to abide by their 2-minute limit on speaking (which they generally allow citizens to exceed). While I have serious concerns about how the town is being run, I respect that our Mayor and Council, who are all grown men, educated, seasoned politicians, can handle whatever a 66-year-old woman who is a 28-year resident says at a council meeting. For context, there are rarely more than a handful of folks in the audience, few who speak and the meetings rarely last more than 1 ½ hours, so I did not think exceeding 2 minutes was much to ask.
I suspect there are many areas where we agree. For example, while I expressed concern about the municipal tax increase of 11.6% and the depletion of the town surplus from over 6 million to $445,000, I understand some increases in taxes are reasonable. This might include raises for police and underpaid municipal employees and some expenditure of surplus funds for infrastructure (in addition to federal funds from the bi-partisan bill). Having lived on a road riddled with patched potholes, so much so that my husband joked we should start labeling each with the year they were patched, some surplus funds for this was needed. However, after my comments no councilman offered an explanation of the 11.6% tax increase or the exorbitant depletion of our surplus. This has left me more concerned, especially after other residents had asked for an explanation at several meetings and one had submitted written questions about this twice to the council with no response.
One councilman said “it would be great if somehow we could have a friendly dialogue”. I agree. So, I am publicly inviting any councilman and/or the mayor to arrange a friendly dialogue with Bridgewater residents to explain the surplus depletion and municipal tax increases. If not, at least the council and mayor can answer the questions asked about the budget and the surplus depletion before the public comment section at the next council meeting on October 24, 2024 at 7:30 pm in the municipal building. I will be there and I hope you will join me in person or online at “10-24-24 Bridgewater Council Meeting youtube”.
Joan G. Geiger
