Missing The Point

There seems to be some sort of notion that removing former First Selectman Ed St. John’s portrait from the wall of Fire HQ created some sort of problem.  To the members of the MVFD taking the portrait down solved a problem. The membership voted to remove the picture because of reasons listed below in the post titled “Childish Actions.”  The problem at the MVFD, was not with taking the picture down, but rather with leaving it up.

Instead of respecting that the MVFD must have had a darn good reason for taking the picture down, and because some of Mr. St. John’s allies made a stink at Town Hall, there is some sort of manufactured notion, that there is now a problem.  There is no problem. The picture was not Town property, it was not MVFD property.  The members did not want it on the wall, so they returned it to its rightful owner. End of story.

Now the BOS still perceives that there is a problem and believe they have resolved it by ordering all portraits off all walls in Town buildings? In essence, they are punishing all past Chiefs, and any other individual important enough to have his or her portrait on a wall in Town, for the actions of Mr. St. John? The Republican/American reports, “De­partments can ask the Board of Selectmen’s permission to re­hang the portraits on a case­by- case basis.”

Somehow, the logic of all this escapes me.  When there is a budget to be passed,  fire apparatus to be replaced, and a police radio system to be purchased, why is the BOS worrying about what pictures should be hanging on what walls? Let the MVFD hang whatever they want on the walls of Fire HQ.  Even Tom Gormley is quoted saying that he had more on his plate than worrying about pictures. So why worry?  

The action is like killing a flea with a sledge hammer, and the poster child of micromanagement.  If I was a Selectman (and I am glad that I am not - who would want the job), I would be concentrating on getting the word out about the budget, and how the Selectmen and the BOF have actually cut the budget by 2.3%.  I think that is better use of the Press than worrying about pictures. I would also be working on ensuring Middlebury has a stronger voice in the Region 15 budget which is the real source of tax increases.

If the BOS want the pictures off the wall, then fine take them all down and leave them down, but engaging any longer in this folly is a waste of time.