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There is Fresh Air

It’s broken. Yes, Chester’s town government is broken. The recent Board of Finance meeting, with at least 150 people in attendance, was the last grasp of a proposal that has cost the town dearly. A million-dollar grant, most probably gone forever; the insurance settlement from the loss of a sorely inadequate but much used community building, spent; thousands of our tax dollars spent on studies and reports, gone.

When will we put a stop to it? The current administration, and those of the past, have committed this town to expenditures that are unsustainable. These same administrations have created a bureaucracy that is not only inept and, at times incompetent, but also disregards, ignores, or flatly denies existing regulations and government practices. There is no name-calling here—it is systemic throughout the administration, staff, and even some agencies.

Ignorance may be bliss, but by ignoring this we are, frankly, giving Chester away. It is time for a change, time to clean house. No more burying our heads in the sand. Come Nov. 7, I encourage your readers to vote. There is fresh air out there. The Republican slate offers respite for a faltering, it not dying town. Your readers should to take the time to get to know these people. They’ll work hard. They want Chester to thrive. Yes, every single one of them. I encourage your readers to vote for the Republican ticket on election day.

Russ Perreault

Chester