Editor’s note: Jim Zisson is a Marblehead Board of Selectmen candidate.
Marblehead loves to stay Marblehead. And for good reason. Marblehead’s history, close knit neighborhoods, locally owned businesses, saltwater, and town spirit make for a wonderful town. Nobody I know wants to change that.
However, almost every year, there seems to be some sort of financial disaster either brewing or happening. We pay healthy taxes, the Finance Committee does yeoman’s work planning a detailed budget, yet we find assets like roads, sidewalks and public buildings in desperate need of repair. Many of our town departments are stretched thin and it’s not getting better. With an essentially fixed budget and expenses like health insurance outpacing the budget, the gap gets wider and wider. In the past, the Town has relied heavily on year end free cash to close the operating budget, that has proven to be a failed strategy.
So what do we do? For the past few years, I have been researching and talking to officials in other Towns looking for best practices to get more value for our tax dollars. A good example is Danvers. Like Marblehead, they are building a new elementary school, but with one huge difference. Danvers is building their Smith Elementary School without a debt exclusion override. In fact, Danvers has never had a debt exclusion or general override. I repeat, Danvers has never ever had an override of any type.
What is the secret sauce in Danvers? For the most part, a modern town governance structure. They have a Town Manager rather than a Town Administrator. A Town Administrator is typically found in small towns like Nahant and Wenham where they have limited direct reports and act simply as an aide to the Board of Selectmen. The Town Manager role is much more appropriate for a town of Marblehead’s size.
While both roles are hired by and report to the Selectman, a Town Manager typically runs most own departments with the exception of schools and perhaps one or two others. It takes the selectman out of day to day affairs so they can focus on strategies, initiatives, and the bigger picture. This brings a much more efficient businesslike atmosphere to town affairs and frankly drives out quite a bit of the small town politics. Fortunately, in my opinion, our Town Administrator, Jason Silva, would be a very strong contender to step up to the Town Manager role. To be sure, in the present and future, the Town Manager position would attract a far wider and more experienced group of applicants to choose from. There is only upside here.
Best practices from other towns? For starters, we need to develop a Town Charter or “Running Rules” for the Town. For many, it will come as a surprise, if not shock, that Marblehead doesn’t have a Charter. Not to be confused with the quaint deed that hangs in Abbot Hall, a modern charter codifies and puts in writing what we do and how we do it. In 1966, the state enacted the home rule amendment so towns could take charge of their own affairs. We need to put in writing the rules Marblehead citizens want, rather than making it up as we go along and begging the state legislature for change.
Other ideas? — We lack a common sense and reasonable sidewalk snow removal policy, especially around schools and public buildings. Our neighboring towns have adopted policies that are effective and do not burden those that are unable to clear their sidewalks due to health, age, disability or a difficult location. The real problem is we have no policy at all, so neighbors in the area of schools are confused as to who is responsible for snow removal. If Swampscott and densely packed communities like Salem, Boston, and Somerville can do it, why can’t we?
In closing, Marblehead is a wonderful town. However, if we want to keep our cherished traditions, values, and way of life, it is time we look at making some carefully thought-out changes to set the stage for the next 391 years. To stay the same, we have to change!
Jim Zisson
Marblehead
