Recently it has been reported that a group of Monmouth citizens are creating a budget committee. The leader of the group claims that they are doing this to give “the people another voice,” and because Monmouth will not have a budget committee for the first time since 1963.

I believe that the primary reason Monmouth’s selectmen chose not to appoint a budget committee was because we were hoping to have as many citizens as possible participate in the budget process, as individuals, rather than as a committee. We would, then, collaboratively, create a budget for our town.

I fear that what the founders of this budget committee may have in mind does not fit into this model of working together in a constructive and positive manner. I think they may be motivated by self-interest. I hope that these founders are not misleading or deceiving the citizens who will be joining this committee, unaware of a hidden agenda.

I wonder if these founders are creating this committee to simply have a greater voice in opposing the budget that citizens and selectmen develop cooperatively. If this is their intention, they would perpetuate the divisiveness that has recently plagued our community, divisiveness that the selectmen are trying to end.

I urge all citizens to attend as many budget workshops as possible. Everyone will be provided with all available budget information so that they may actively participate in discussions and decisions. All of us can have a voice in this important process.

Douglas Ludewig, Monmouth

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