Got some great questions from Clinton resident Mariah Hunt about the upcoming selectman’s race and wanted to post my answers here. I tried responding in the Facebook post but the lack of paragraph breaks made it tough to read.
Dear Mariah,
Thanks for your note. It’s always good to hear from members of the community about what’s concerning them. Sorry I’m late to this. I was outside catching up on yardwork, and then watching the rocket launch with my kids. I’ll do my best to answer your questions but, as you know, I’m always available on Facebook or at kerriganforclinton@gmail.com. If phone’s easier, please call me at home at 978-368-1725.
- With the assumption of budgets tightening due to the Covid-19 shutdown, what suggestions do you have to help trim the $76 million dollar town budget?
I guess I’d start with the fact that $76 million isn’t the annual town budget. The amount approved for appropriation at the 2019 town meeting included transfers from enterprise funds — including $4.5 million from the Capital and Infrastructure Stabilization Fund for the downtown project — and other one-time borrowing articles. This year’s draft operating budget is around $56 million, but that is VERY much a work in progress since, as you know, we have no idea what state aid will be. As a member of the board’s Budget Subcommittee, I can tell you that the board and the Finance Committee are working with the best numbers we have, and are prepared to go forward with a 1/12 budget to maintain town government until we have a better idea of what our aid will be. But until we have better numbers from the state it would be irresponsible to talk about a budget.
- With thr addition of new apartments and condo building in town, what are the biggest challenges you see with that and how would you address them?
I’m sorry but I don’t understand this question. Happy to answer if you can be more clear.
- What makes you different from the other candidates? How is that a strength?
I’m probably the shortest, but I don’t know if that’s a strength. Honestly, I’ve tried to focus on the work I’m doing, now how I match up to other people running for this job. I was the new kid a few years ago, and I know how easy it is to poke holes in what you think is wrong. In reality, governing can be a grind sometimes. You can show up and yell a lot or you can find consensus, pick your fights when they really matter, and actually get some things done. One example of how I’ve helped make a real difference is how we’ve broadened the tax base in town since I’ve been on the board. There’s always been a lot of talk about this but we hadn’t made much progress until a couple of years ago, when I chaired a subcommittee of town officials and members of the community that looked at how we could take some of the long-term burden off of residential taxpayers by encouraging businesses to move into town:
Tax Classification Subcommittee Recommendations 11-15-18
I’m proud to say that, as a result, our property tax split has gone down every year since I’ve been on the board and now is at an historic low. And, since we realized that shifting a little more of the short-term burden onto residential taxpayers might cause some hardships, especially to those on fixed incomes, we increased exemptions and doubled funding for the Senior Tax Rebate Program to $30,000 a year. It’s a win-win that encourages economic development while setting the table for real, long-term tax relief.
In my 35 months on the board, I’ve tried to ask a lot of questions and listen to a lot of answers. And suggestions. And complaints. As a former reporter, I’ve always made myself available to the public, with a dedicated Facebook page, website and Twitter feed since before I was elected. No one has higher standards for this town, and no one is more disappointed when we don’t reach those standards.
- What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the town in the next 2 years? And how do you plan on addressing it?
Obviously, the biggest challenge (and it’ll easily be for the next five years, not two) is the fact that we’re living in a pandemic that has changed the way all of us live and work. This isn’t a problem that has an answer, at least until our national public health officials come up with a long-term medical solution. Locally, I’ve been very encouraged with our Board of Health’s effort to keep the public informed on how the virus is spreading in Clinton, how we can stay safe, and what we’ll all need to do if we want to get back on the path to whatever the new normal will be.
Budget implications aside, what I’ve tried to find is silver linings: How we can get better results outside of what we used to consider standard operating procedure. Can members of our community have better access to Town Hall, even if they can’t leave the house? Can we share the work our board and other town departments are doing through different media? These are extraordinary times, so doing things the old way probably won’t work. What I’m willing to do is try things, and to make mistakes. If restaurants can only open to 25 percent capacity, why not give up some sidewalk so they can spread out and offer curbside dining? Sometimes we chase a shiny new thing and ignore the easy, incremental changes that are right in front of us.
- What makes you the best Candidate for the selectman?
Again, this depends on what you think makes a good selectman. If you want someone you knew in high school, I’m probably not your candidate. But if you want someone who knows how to do this job, who knows what kind of challenges we face every day with both big problems and small, and who has consistently shown they can not only survive but succeed, I hope you’ll give me a look.
Thanks again for the questions. If you or your friends have any follow-ups, I do regular office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and am available otherwise whenever needed.
Sean Kerrigan, Clinton Select Board 