To the Editor:

Over the past thirty-five years, Andover property taxes have increased steadily, and recently, rather abruptly. Meanwhile, the population has decreased, and businesses have closed. A once-thriving village has become a desolate ghost town. Leadership has been remiss in addressing these problems.

If current select board members feel overwhelmed, they should pass the reins to those who have more time to serve, resulting in new ideas, greater efficiency and higher standards. Why run for office (or embrace secret write-in victories) time and time again if, knowing what the job entails, you can’t handle it?

Will a town manager solve Andover’s problems? Admittedly, a town manager may be better at filling potholes than our current road commissioner. However, according to the 30A statutory plan: a town manager: “…shall execute all laws and ordinances of the town… shall appoint, supervise and control all town officials… Has exclusive authority to remove… all persons whom the manager is authorized to appoint…” Once appointed, a manager can only be removed for cause, creating the potential for expensive litigation.

Details provided in “informational” meetings are supplied (or not) by those advocating for the conversion. The rosiest picture will be painted. Be skeptical. Estimates are just that. Many small towns have regretted making this unnecessary and irreversible change to their small, familiar, time-tested form of government.

More practical options abound for select board support: hiring an administrative assistant, adding hours to an existing part-time position, switching to a five-person select board. Another solution could be to elect officials with positive, accommodating attitudes who strive to serve the public, who are interested in shrinking government and lowering property taxes.

These sensible options all cost much less and do not require the surrendering of the current system. The answer is not to hastily discard a time-tested form of government in favor of appointed autocrats who may enjoy building empires, raising taxes, exercising imaginary authority over residents, and inviting expensive court challenges.

If select board members are aggrieved by the current system, frustration and inattention may be negatively affecting the day-to-day managing of the town. A select board that aggressively and expensively chooses to defend the changing of a private road name for no reason after 18 years, compels us to question the judgment and motivations of such a board in all other matters.

Brenda Stickney

Andover