Reader to Reader

To the Editor:

A letter published in Vol. IV No. 4. gave a brief history of Stockbridge town governance in the course of making its case for the town Moderator to retain sole power to appoint the Finance Board.

The threat the letter is responding to is an initiative it styles "a few disgruntled citizens" seeking to change a hallowed institution in a fit of pique over some position the town Finance Board has taken on RTE. [Residential Tax Exemption].

The letter is sparse on details of the proposed change, but, apparently, it is to make the Board in some measure elective. The letter addresses the appointive-versus-elective question by pointing out that the Moderator position with its power to appoint, is itself elected and that our current moderator has been duly elected to that position continuously for over 40 years and, further, previous to that he had been a member of the board himself.

This is truly an impressive record of service, and it is astonishing to realize that there are Stockbridge natives, now in middle age, who have only ever lived under the care of a single town Moderator and the Finance Boards he alone has appointed.

The title "Moderator" somewhat understates the power inherent in appointing the town's most important and influential board, especially when exercised over long, continuous stretches of time, don't you think? I can't help wondering if the position had been called something like, "Appointer of the Finance Board", there wouldn't have been more turnover in the office.

Thankfully, the title of Moderator will not be changed, and rightly so. The initiative to make the Finance Board elective may well fail. Still, something might already have changed. Don't be too surprised if, going forward, candidates running for Moderator face a newfound expectation of transparency concerning how they propose to use their prospective appointive powers and those having a record of appointments made may be asked to publicly account for that record, especially with regard to the Finance Board. Again, rightly so.

Brent Wiggans 02.17.2023

Photo: Lionel Delevingne