Selectmen candidates make their pitch to voters at local forums

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March 13, 2008

By Brian Messenger

A self-described "agent of change" and a former school department employee with nearly a decade of experience in public office are vying for the solitary open seat on the Board of Selectmen this spring. Election Day is March 25, and the ballot will also ask residents if they want to pay more to fund the Community Preservation Act.

Newcomer Peter Cotch and incumbent Mary Lyman shared their views on numerous topics, including the CPA, at a Senior Center forum on March 7. Both can be heard again March 13 at Memorial Hall Library, in an election forum sponsored by the Andover/North Andover League of Women Voters.

Cotch, a lawyer, said that if elected, he would ask the "uncomfortable questions" and demand real answers when it came to town business. He told a the senior center audience that he opposes any new taxes."We've been living very high on the hog in this town," said Cotch. "We've got to be accountable for every buck."

Cotch said he is an advocate of zero-based budgeting, with the town's operating budget built from scratch annually instead of carrying over the same formulas and assumptions from year to year.

Cotch suggested temporarily hiring an independent auditor to do this, and also proposed hiring a professional negotiator to collectively bargain with town employee unions to save money on contracts.

"We have to do a better job in negotiating these contracts," said Cotch. "That's the solution I believe we should be looking at."

Lyman, a veteran selectman of more than six years, former School Committee member and former director of personnel for the Andover School Department, said town officials are working with employee unions on ways to find savings, including on health insurance.

"We're trying very hard to work together. It takes a buy-in from everyone," said Lyman. "You can expect to see some changes."

Lyman defended the current effort by selectmen, school and finance officials as they attempt to balance the fiscal year 2009 operating budget or create a plan that could raise taxes to avoid cuts to personnel and services.

Selectmen are working with the Finance Committee and town moderator to streamline the town and school departments' budget proposals, Lyman said, a task she believes will make financial decisions easier.

"We are in a real fiscal crisis," said Lyman. "It's a unified front and we're working very hard on that."

Trash and other fees

Both candidates opposed any fee-based trash collection, which would raise Public Works revenues, though both Cotch and Lyman acknowledged that new funding sources are needed.

Cotch proposed that Andover team with neighboring communities to buy and operate expensive pieces of capital equipment, and also suggested local municipalities receive "a more equitable portion" of aid from both the state and federal governments.

With local fees in Andover already raised to a level similar to those in comparable communities, Lyman said additional state and federal aid must be considered as a means of financial assistance.

"All our fees are right at the max," said Lyman. "Obviously, the state needs to keep local cities and towns in mind."

Difference on CPA

The two candidates' views differ on the Community Preservation Act, which town voters will be asked to ratify on the March 25 ballot. Approval would add a property tax surcharge of 1 percent to fund local conservation, affordable housing and historic projects, with additional funds coming from the state. Lyman is in favor of passage; Cotch is not.

"CPA is a tool we can use to help keep Andover a town we're proud of," said Lyman. "I think it's something that we could greatly benefit from."

Cotch, however, said he does not support asking people for more money in a time where the economy is struggling.

"I applaud the objectives of the CPA," said Cotch. "The problem I see here is that this isn't the year, unfortunately."

Senior issues

Both candidates wanted more information from local legislators before taking a position on a bill before the Senate that would exempt some senior citizens from paying additional property taxes if a Proposition 21/2 override is successful.

"It sounds great on paper," said Cotch. "I'd like to have the opportunity to quiz our legislative delegation a little more thoroughly to find out what the ins and outs are."

When asked how to improve local public transportation for seniors, Cotch suggested using taxi vouchers or volunteer services to compliment the MVRTA bus service, which he described as inadequate.

Lyman said improving public transportation for seniors and expanding town services to seniors are important issues to her.

"We need to expand where we offer them," said Lyman. 'We don't have enough space to offer the services we need (at the Andover Senior Center)."