To The Editor:
The Marion Special Town Meeting was held on October 26 to vote on Article S4 to transfer $50,000 toward a $200,000 grant from the Buzzards Bay and Narragansett Estuary Program concerning a proposed sewer project to “possibly” eliminate nitrogen discharge from 31 homes in Aucoot Cove and 151 homes in Mattapoisett (Mattapoisett?).
So many questions asked were left unanswered that town meeting voted to table the article until more discussion ensued. Too much money spent on an eventual multi-million dollar program without all the facts.
Town Meetings are the oldest form of grassroots democracy. They allow citizens to access their municipal government and express their concerns about town affairs. Apparently, Marion’s elected selectmen do not realize that town meeting has the final authority to accept, reject or modify the action sought by any article presented. It was an approved vote to dismiss the article. End of subject.
YET, six days later, the board of selectmen, overrode the vote and went ahead against the wishes of the residents of Marion. Shame on them. They explained it wouldn’t cost the taxpayers a penny. Really? It would be nice to know how this is to be done. And if that is the case, why was it ever brought up to a vote? And how many times in the future will money be allocated on programs against the voters of Marion that are not vetted properly.
Let them know it is your taxpayer money and you want it to be spent on your terms. And you don’t want to lose a freedom which is ours to possess.
Ruth Nicolaci, Marion
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