Relief of Overburdened Selectmen
This document is reprinted with permission from "The Manager Plan in Maine" published by the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy. Copies of the complete book may be obtained by calling the Center at (207) 581-1646.
Examples can readily be found in local publications in which the selectmen themselves express their frustration with the increasing number of demands made upon them. In Kennebunk, the chairman of the commission that recommended the manager plan made the following statement at a special town meeting called for the purpose of voting on the plan in January, 1948:
Twenty-five years ago when I was a selectman the office did not have to open more than one night a week -- today is different. The functions of government are centralized in our state and federal governments, but part of the administration of them falls upon the town governments. It requires a good working knowledge of the laws pertaining thereto and of necessity has become a specialty job. No ordinary man can step into the head of town government today and carry on successfully (Forster, 1948).
Similar sentiment was expressed by the second and third selectmen of Boothbay Harbor in a letter that appeared in the town's newspaper:
People all over the country are demanding more and more services of their local governments. Boothbay Harbor is no exception. The taxpayer realizes that he must pay for the services if he votes for them. However, he expects and rightfully so, to see his tax-dollar stretched as far as possible. This year your board of selectmen have attempted to do just this by various means. Materials and supplies have been purchased by the board rather than by department heads; bids have been required in all cases where the sum of money involved was large.
As a board of assessors, we have been responsible for the collection of more back taxes than was collected before in any two years.
As overseers of the poor, we have sought to prevent duplication of expenses in providing for paupers. For years the town farm has been kept open for one individual while others were provided for outside of the farm. We have secured old age assistance and pensions to lighten the burden to the town.
There has rarely been a fifteen minute interval during the work week that one of us has not been called in regard to a complaint. Without attempting to pat ourselves on the back, we feel that much has been accomplished this year. Nevertheless there is still vast room for improvement. Many things are postponed necessarily because of lack of time. It has been voiced by many citizens that there should be a man in the town office all the time.
As your selectmen we feel it is our duty to examine any and all ways in which efficiency in local government can be improved upon. We feel that in another year, Boothbay Harbor should have the full-time services of an energetic competent man. It is too much to expect that such a man can be found who is financially able to devote his whole time for the $600 per year now paid our first selectman. Therefore it would seem advisable for us all to weigh the advantages of employing a town manager. Your board of selectmen have made a study of the town manager form of government and after carefully considering all of its aspects feel that it is workable from a local point of view. Over ninety Maine towns have adopted the manager plan.
Lest anyone misinterpret our motives be assured that neither of us aspire to the position of town manager in Boothbay Harbor (Forster 1946).