Save representative governance

Let us paint you a picture of how Edgewood government would change if the Commission-manager system is adopted in our town‘s upcoming August 24 special

election. First and foremost, if Commission-manager government is adopted, voters will only be able to cast votes for one commissioner from their designated district. The manager is not even elected but is appointed and hired. Currently we can vote for all councilors and a mayor to represent us, meaning that now we all vote for each of the five in Edgewood town leadership. At this time Edgewood has an “at-large representation” system where all votes cast together determine the town’s governing body. The mayor and all town councilors are elected by all Edgewood voters.

The Commission-manager system is not like that. To us, this change of governance would be going backwards. Commission-manager is a “first past the post” method of election which leads to less competition and is contrary to how most modern democracies are organized. For a small town like Edgewood, the Commissioner-manager system splits out districts with very limited choice as to the final composition of commissioners and leads to absolutely no say as to who the town’s manager will be.

A town manager? Hmm...we don’t know about you, but we’d prefer someone running the town who has been elected by the townspeople and not appointed (or pre-selected) by buddies of a few commissioners or people of influence. Also, please let’s not forget that our town mayor currently receives a salary of $1,000/month which adds up to $12,000/year. The median salary for an appointed manager is upwards of $90,000 a year plus possible amenities and also a severance package if all does not go well. BTW, the average turnover rate for managers is 30%, so the aforementioned severance package is a distinct possibility for added expense if a manager is requested to depart.

In closing, we all know that this whole issue started with talk about the town’s water system (and evolved to extensive negative political gamesmanship, browbeating, and legal maneuvering). A switch to Commissionmanager governance will not solve that issue. It won’t get the mineral deposits out of our water pipes or immediately improve the water quality. It won’t stop the implacability either. The town has many more pressing issues at hand and in closing, we are voicing our request to vote against Commission-manager governance.

Keep our truly elected and fully representative government intact.

Let’s continue to vote for all of our government leadership. Edgewood Residents: Jonathan Longoria Evelyn Vinogradov John Carpenter