To the editor:

Our quirky but beloved small-town democracy faces an embarrassing flop.  

In a normal year, there would be bargaining, discussion, and compromise — but this year a 4:1 majority of the committee on appropriations (COA) is intent on “sending a message” — a draconian one that requires the schools hack out $1.2 million from sports, foreign language, and other vital areas.

I wrote about this last week, and seeing no change, have decided to do something other than just complain:

I hereby publicly declare my candidacy for one of the three COA seats opening this year.

It is a non-partisan public position, and anyone can run — in fact, I encourage many others to do so. Choice and discussion are good for all us. Let’s just let the town moderator and town clerk know in advance so the ballots can be pre-printed and the FTM can flow more efficiently. (jpcalifano2@gmail.com, mdesisto@barrington.ri.gov)

I also challenge you (and the COA incumbents) to join me in a virtuous competition to evolve our town’s governance — a 300th birthday present to the town by giving the COA something it has long lacked: A Code of Conduct.

I propose the COA should:

• Acknowledge and respect the fact that the citizens have twice-approved the BMS bond, and that as a settled matter it should forevermore be “unbundled” from the current budget debate. The COA is not the appropriate podium to seize and annually re-litigate a decision approved by a supermajority of voters.

• Seek understanding not grandstanding by posing the key financial questions that are bedeviling the current debate in writing to the school committee over the summer, and post their answers on a rolling basis on a public website. This way we can have a dialogue and maybe slay some of the dragons of resentment we’ve nurtured between the COA and schools over the years regarding rainy day funds, “extra money,” June pay-outs, etc.

• Listen and educate taxpayers by holding active listening sessions once a month from October to February in a variety of locations — each of the three elementary schools, Bay Springs, and the Senior Center ought to be a good start. This way people can ask questions, learn more about the budget process before it gets rolling, and make better informed decisions when we vote.

• Engage in continuous dialogue by ensuring that every meeting has a structured time for public comment. The COA cannot claim to speak in the name of taxpayers unless it will listen to them.

• Be accessible by posting easy-to-find contact information so the public can communicate with members directly, just like the town council or school committee members do — why is the COA any different?

• Be inclusive by arranging for meetings to be livecast and videos to be archived so that our elderly population and busy families all have equal access to watching what their government is doing.

Let us collectively urge all candidates to adopt and improve upon this common platform, which will result in a win for our town, no matter who wins the open seats.

Frank “Scott” Douglas

Barrington