Fryeburg’s town meeting is Saturday, March 17, at 10 a.m. at the Fryeburg Fire Station. Article 20 asks to expand the Board of Selectmen from three to five.

This is the second time this article has been brought in the past seven years. It was defeated the first time. When a group gets dissatisfied with one or more selectmen, they try a “backdoor” approach to gain control of the board. The five-member board is one such approach to gain control.

When a person is elected to the board, they take an oath of office that requires them to make decisions in the best interest of the town and its people. The board works for taxpayers and residents, not special interests. It is getting more and more difficult to find people to run for the board now.

What will happen if a five-member board is enacted? Everyone knows the answer to that question. Adding two more seats to the board will only allow all the wrong people on there who have an ax to grind, and personal agendas to fill, and couldn’t get elected if the board stays at three members.

If unhappy with board members, people can vote them out one by one as a term expires, which is the democratic way, or enact a recall ordinance. Recall ordinances tend to hurt the democratic process, though.

I will vote against increasing the size of the board of selectmen.

Diane Jones, Fryeburg