Amid all the noise of a national/presidential election, it is easy to forget about the government that affects us most directly – our town government. We rely on the elected and appointed officials who manage the ongoing business of the community and keep the essential services available when we need them.
None of the elected and appointed jobs are easy or profitable. All require constant learning and attention. The well-being of our town depends on the services of people willing to volunteer for the hard work and responsibility of local governance.
Recently, defeated candidates for selectman have engaged in concentrated efforts to undermine the work of the sitting selectmen. In particular, one sore loser and his spouse have engaged in open threats to selectman Marshall Bishop. They have tried to use state government and the planning board to attack the Bishops’s business – the Gilmanton Winery.
Gilmanton needs to welcome and support local business and agriculture, and to encourage participation in local government. This kind of behavior is designed to discourage both.
Citizens of Gilmanton, we need to rally behind those we have elected. If we question a particular decision, let’s do so respectfully. We all lose when elected officials are subjected to bullying and threats, and when proceedings are interrupted by harassment and unreasonable demands. The town government is your government. Willingness to serve is a big commitment. But unless citizens are willing to step up and serve, and support those who do, town government doesn’t work and we all lose.
Carolyn Baldwin
Gilmanton