The Consequences of Bad Government, Tiverton Edition

So, the Tiverton Youth Soccer league — an independent community group in our town that works with networks in Rhode Island and Massachusetts to provide (not-for-free) year-round soccer programs for interested children in the town — has sent out an interesting request by email:

Dear Parents,

Every year the town has rolled our fields at the beginning of each season. With the recent departure of our Town Maintenance Person and helper the DPW said it is too busy to do it at this time.

If you have a roller or access to a roller and could possibly complete such a task please reply to this email ASAP.

In general, I’m energized by the idea of people in the community coming together to accomplish things for each other without having to make people who aren’t interested pay the bill.  But here’s the thing: The fields are town property, and maintenance is factored in to our tax bills.  This is a service for which we’re paying.

So, what were the circumstances of “the recent departure of our Town Maintenance Person”?  Well, Channel 10 filmed him stealing time from the town, doing work on his own rental properties while on the clock.

And what were the circumstances of the departure of his “helper”?  Well, the (now-former) town administrator fired him for being a whistleblower, which is explicitly against the law, and for which the town is now being sued.

The Tiverton Town Council allowed both the maintenance foreman and the administrator to retire gracefully (while being dishonest about the background of their decision).  In fact, Maintenance Foreman Bob Martin is technically still employed by the town, until his retirement on April 22.

The local political action committee Tiverton 1st, which promoted the current town council and worked closely with Democrat state Representative John “Jay” Edwards, ran on assertions that they were the real supporters of community and alternatives were evil interlopers trying to “destroy the town.”  Somehow, I don’t think the folks who voted for them thought they meant that they’d build our sense of community by forcing us to do volunteer labor because corrupt town employees were busy enjoying early retirements.

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