“Blood Money” Not Worth Community Integrity

All four proposed operating plans rejected by Selectmen this past Monday night advanced too shallow a benefit, threatened the sleep health of a few citizens, and was not in the collective best interests of Falmouth.  

The lingering question from the meeting - how could some Selectmen think it permissible to deny 40-50 families an acceptable minimum sleep period, for the “blood money” projected from the operating plans?  Thank God more reasonable and level heads prevailed!

Sleeping is a critical function to efficient and effective human productivity.  Yet, controlling municipal costs and avoiding deficit are critical functions to local government as well.   Selectman Flynn maintained that the Board could not create a deficit.  But neither should the Board have created a condition of sleep deprivation upon any of the constituency they represent.  With the recognition that none of the proposed mitigation options were effective or acceptable, the majority of the Selectmen held to basic common sense.  And now places Falmouth’s wind turbine crucible in the lap of the state.

If the state doesn't bring financial aid to the table, the Selectmen's attempt to balance its finances while allowing impacted citizen’s a healthy night’s sleep, could unravel.  

The underlying question, while the town negotiates with the state, is whether the Patrick Administration will financially support Falmouth’s resolution to provide residents an essential minimum sleep period to be productive citizens?  Or will “blood money” be extorted to preserve a state sponsored mistake?

Whether the state helps or extortions is secondary to the true community test we now take.  Falmouth’s integrity, as a step toward community cohesion, now more than ever, balances upon a strong constitution of not bending or bowing to state extortion.  Especially when it will cost only cents per day from those with or without a conscience, to sleep easy.