Comments on: The force is with us! http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us Life in the 'ham Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:42:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: scott http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us#comment-1728 scott Thu, 29 Mar 2007 11:06:10 +0000 http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us#comment-1728 Call me a cynic but based on Mitch's description of 5:1, the difference between town government and city government is that in a town government, you have the potential for five corrupt officials making decisions while in the city government, you have one all powerful corrupt official. Call me a cynic but based on Mitch’s description of 5:1, the difference between town government and city government is that in a town government, you have the potential for five corrupt officials making decisions while in the city government, you have one all powerful corrupt official.

]]> By: Moonlight http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us#comment-1685 Moonlight Tue, 20 Mar 2007 19:03:06 +0000 http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us#comment-1685 I hope they don't put these in Boston. The bomb squad will of course assume it's a 'suspicious device' and blow it faster than you can say Death Star. I hope they don’t put these in Boston. The bomb squad will of course assume it’s a ’suspicious device’ and blow it faster than you can say Death Star.

]]> By: Mitch Cohen http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us#comment-1684 Mitch Cohen Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:44:46 +0000 http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us#comment-1684 The primary city/town differences: In a town, the top elected officers are the Board of Selectmen (usually five people). They work as a board to develop policies and budget. They typically hire an administrator (Town Manager in Framingham's case). The Town Manager works for the Board, carrying out the policies determined by the Board at public meetings. In a city, the top elected officer is a Mayor. The mayor has much more authority as he/she reports to no one (other than the voters every few years). There is a city council that works with the Mayor, but only on major issues - the Mayor does not report to the council. The Mayor also typically serves as Chair of the School Committee. There are variants to the above, but that's typical. The advantage of a town government is the ultimate authority is spread out amongst several people, and that all big decisions are made in public. The downside is changes can happen slowly (discussion only every two weeks in most towns). The advantage of a city government is there is one person with the authority to make major changes rapidly, instead of waiting for the next Selectmen's meeting. Larger communities often change to cities for this reason. The downside is that one person can really screw things up, without much public oversight. At least one Selectmen is up for election each year, so the town has the ability to make changes at the top more rapidly than changing a mayor. I'm a big fan of the town form of government. With the power spread out amongst five elected citizens who must make decisions during open meetings, the public has much greater input and ownership of their own government. I became such a fan of this form of government that I'm a Selectmen myself. Not in Framingham - I'm just a former resident enjoying the site. The primary city/town differences:

In a town, the top elected officers are the Board of Selectmen (usually five people). They work as a board to develop policies and budget. They typically hire an administrator (Town Manager in Framingham’s case). The Town Manager works for the Board, carrying out the policies determined by the Board at public meetings.

In a city, the top elected officer is a Mayor. The mayor has much more authority as he/she reports to no one (other than the voters every few years). There is a city council that works with the Mayor, but only on major issues - the Mayor does not report to the council. The Mayor also typically serves as Chair of the School Committee.

There are variants to the above, but that’s typical.

The advantage of a town government is the ultimate authority is spread out amongst several people, and that all big decisions are made in public. The downside is changes can happen slowly (discussion only every two weeks in most towns).

The advantage of a city government is there is one person with the authority to make major changes rapidly, instead of waiting for the next Selectmen’s meeting. Larger communities often change to cities for this reason. The downside is that one person can really screw things up, without much public oversight.

At least one Selectmen is up for election each year, so the town has the ability to make changes at the top more rapidly than changing a mayor.

I’m a big fan of the town form of government. With the power spread out amongst five elected citizens who must make decisions during open meetings, the public has much greater input and ownership of their own government.

I became such a fan of this form of government that I’m a Selectmen myself. Not in Framingham - I’m just a former resident enjoying the site.

]]> By: Ethan http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us#comment-1683 Ethan Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:07:07 +0000 http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us#comment-1683 Does anyone know what the advantage of not becoming a city is? So as not to veer completely off topic, check out the promotional teaser video--it's pretty corny. http://www.uspsjedimaster.com/teaser/ Does anyone know what the advantage of not becoming a city is?

So as not to veer completely off topic, check out the promotional teaser video–it’s pretty corny.

http://www.uspsjedimaster.com/teaser/

]]> By: Homer http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us#comment-1682 Homer Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:56:29 +0000 http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-force-is-with-us#comment-1682 Hahaha nice striketru for city :-) (For those of you who don't know, 1 of Framingham's many claim to fame's is we are the largest town in MA cause we refuse to change the designation to "city") Hahaha nice striketru for city :-)

(For those of you who don’t know, 1 of Framingham’s many claim to fame’s is we are the largest town in MA cause we refuse to change the designation to “city”)

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