The Eisenthal Report

Campaign Update - Eisenthal for Selectman

At the end of the week, two local media outlets here in the Quaboag Hills carried the announcement of my candidacy for a seat on the West Brookfield Board of Selectmen - the Spencer New Leader and the Quaboag Current.

This followed a story on Wednesday, the 30th, in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. TER commented on this earlier.

Reaction to these announcements has been generally positive; negativity has been confined to a few anonymous comments posted on the online version of the T&G's story on my candidacy. I believe that the positive comments are far more representative than the negative ones.

I took out nomination papers this past Tuesday, the 29th - the first day that they were available. We are moving quickly toward getting the required 25 signatures - we will likely try for a few additional signatures just to be safe.

In a related note, I was elected yesterday as a delegate to the Democratic State Convention, which will be held in June at the Tsongas Area in Lowell. I will be one of three delegates attending from West Brookfield.

Eisenthal Campaign Announcement in Worcester Telegram & Gazette

This morning's Worcester Telegram and Gazette includes an item about my candidacy for Selectman in West Brookfield.

Like many newspapers, the T&G includes in its online edition a space for comments. I have already used this feature to clarify some of the points made in the article. My comment was as follows -

I want to thank Mr. Ellery and the Telegram and Gazette for the time and effort they put into this article.

I do feel the need to clarify some of the representations of my views however.

On the fleet account issue, I believe that the Board of Selectmen and the Advisory Committee deserve credit for coming up with an approach to replacing capital equipment in a regular and orderly way. However, I think that with the approval of a capital planning by-law, such as there as in the Town of Ludlow, this approach could be improved. The by-law would create a capital planning committee that would vet all capital expenditures – much as the Selectmen and Advisory Committee do now. Proposed capital expenditures would then – and only then – go before Town Meeting for approval. I think that the decision to spend $300,000 – for example – on a piece of highway equipment versus a piece of fire equipment is properly a legislative decision – and the legislative body in West Brookfield is the Town Meeting.

To address concerns about a rapid response if a piece of equipment needs to be replaced quickly, I would favor shifting some funds to the Advisory Committee’s reserve account if the capital planning by-law is adopted. To be very clear about this, until a capital planning by-law of the kind I describe is enacted, I would favor maintaining the fleet account.

Regarding the work performance of department heads, I believe that a systematic and professional program of goal setting and performance evaluation could give West Brookfield residents more confidence in their public services. (I’ve never said it should “come under greater scrutiny.”) Goal setting and performance evaluations would improve public confidence by giving the Selectmen and the department heads some additional tools that would help the department heads – and their departments – do as good job as possible for West Brookfield.

Campaign Announcement - Eisenthal for Selectmen

I released the following statement today to local media outlets around West Brookfield.

David M. Eisenthal announces his candidacy for a seat on the West Brookfield Board of Selectmen.

Eisenthal, 46, is seeking the seat to be vacated by outgoing Selectman John Tivnan at the May 6, 2008 town election. “John Tivnan is a public servant who has worked hard and passionately for the ideas that he believes in. I wish him well in his future pursuits,” said Eisenthal. He continued, “I am seeking the seat in the West Brookfield Board of Selectman because I have the experience, the knowledge, and the commitment to be an effective voice for the people of West Brookfield.”

Eisenthal’s professional experience includes nearly 19 years as an advisor to cities, towns, and other local governments on financial matters, including the Town of West Brookfield and the Quaboag Regional School District. In addition to his professional experience, he has held previous elected and appointed positions in local government. He is also the editor and publisher of The Eisenthal Report (theeisenthalreport.com), an Internet weblog that focuses on politics, public policy, and culture. “People may not agree with everything that I say in The Eisenthal Report, but I think they will come away with a sense of the thoughtful way that I approach political and policy issues,” said Eisenthal.

The major issues facing West Brookfield, in Eisenthal’s view, are maintaining the Town’s strong financial profile, managing economic growth, and improving public confidence in Town services. “It’s fair to say that my experience has given me a close familiarity with the workings of Town government. As I’ve spoken with voters around Town, it’s become clear that confidence in public services is the most important issue in this election,” stated Eisenthal.

Eisenthal proposes two measures to improve public confidence: passage of a capital planning bylaw and implementation of professional performance reviews and goal setting for the department heads who report to the Selectmen. Eisenthal holds, “The Town’s department heads are professionals; we should treat them as professionals – fairly and consistently – and set high expectations for their performance as professionals.”

Beyond his specific proposals, Eisenthal hopes to improve confidence by encouraging greater participation in Town government - attending Town Meeting and serving on Town boards. “One cannot find a purer democracy than a Town governed by an open Town Meeting - as West Brookfield is. I want to help our democracy function as well as it possibly can,” continued Eisenthal.

A graduate of Clark University and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Eisenthal lives on West Main Street in West Brookfield with his wife, Talya Westbrook, and their sons, Alex and Jack.

Nomination papers for the position are available this week. This announcement was timed to coincide with this step in the election campaign.

Campaign Kickoff - Eisenthal for Selectman

Last night, my campaign for a seat on the West Brookfield Board of Selectmen had its kickoff event.

Held at the home of my campaign chair, Tracy Ashworth, the event was warm and festive. I had the chance to speak with West Brookfield voters about the important issues affecting our town, but at the same time everyone had a chance to relax and enjoy good company in this holiday season.

We are hoping soon to launch our campaign website - I'm hoping it will happen in the next few weeks.

As I've noted before, my campaign committee is up and running. We are accepting contributions that will fund the usual campaign expenses - signs, leaflets, and advertising. The committee's address is Committee to Elect David Eisenthal, c/o James Wilson, 68 Ware Street, West Brookfield, MA 01585.

Committee to Elect David Eisenthal - West Brookfield Board of Selectmen

This evening, I filed papers with the Town Clerk of the Town of West Brookfield, Massachusetts authorizing the creation of a campaign committee - the Committee to Elect David Eisenthal.

This committee will accept campaign contributions and make expenditures in support of my upcoming campaign for a seat on the West Brookfield Board of Selectmen in the annual town election coming up on May 6, 2008. The address of the Committee is:

Committee to Elect David Eisenthal, c/o James Wilson, 68 Ware Street, West Brookfield, MA 01585

Last month, I discussed my political plans in these pages. At that time, I discussed my desire to help maintain West Brookfield's strong finances and to help manage economic growth. As I've talked to an increasing number of West Brookfield residents, I would also add strengthening confidence in the quality of Town services as an important issue.

I think that there are two things that the Board of Selectmen could do to improve public confidence. The first is to build on efforts already made to improve communications between Town boards and the public. Part of that improved communication should include encouraging attendance at Town Meetings and participation on Town boards. The second thing is for the Board of Selectmen to institute professional goal setting and performance reviews for the department heads that report to the Board. The Selectmen should be holding the major department heads accountable for the services that their departments provide in a consistent, fair, and professional manner.

I am excited about this campaign. I am looking forward to talking with the people of West Brookfield about how we can manage and plan for the future. I moved to West Brookfield with my family because of the quality of life it offers. I hope to be part of what preserves this quality of life going forward.

One step that I am expecting to happen within the next few weeks is the launching of a campaign website. Stay tuned.

My Political Plans

A story in this week's Quaboag Current - about last weekend's Step It Up event in West Brookfield (which was organized by Laura MacLachlan) - included reference to my plans to run for Selectman in the Town of West Brookfield.

I can confirm that at this point I am planning to run for the Board of Selectmen in West Brookfield in the spring.

It is still a long time until the election, which will be held on Tuesday, May 6. Nomination papers will not even be available until February, but I am making my intentions known - and talking to the voters of West Brookfield about the issues that concern them. I intend to make a formal announcement of my candidacy after the first of the year.

Jack Tivnan, the incumbent whose seat I would be seeking, has announced publicly that he is not seeking re-election. Jack has served on the Board since 1999; he has worked hard and passionately for the ideas that he believes in. He has also been part of a team that has done a good job running the town. I wish him well in his future pursuits.

I see two major issues in West Brookfield - maintaining strong finances and managing growth.

West Brookfield has generally managed its finances well in recent years. The Town has done so under a variety of pressures - major school capital projects, escalating health insurance costs, and uncertain state revenues. I believe that with my experience I can help the Town to continue maintaining its strong financial position - and perhaps to improve just a few of its financial management practices.

The other major issue facing West Brookfield is managing growth. This issue has all sorts of implications for finances, town services, and general quality of life. With the announcement of a potential casino for western Massachusetts - one that may go to nearby Palmer - this issue has acquired additional urgency for West Brookfield. But even if the casino never comes to Palmer or another nearby community, I believe that we need to be prepared for the effects of long-term economic growth in western and central Massachusetts. In the long-run, I believe that western and central Massachusetts will grow economically - even without the casino. There is, for example, discussion of extending commuter rail from Worcester to Springfield - a step that is quite long-term at this point, but could have a profound impact on West Brookfield when it happens.

The Town has already taken positive steps in this direction with the purchase of parcels of land for conservation and the adoption of by-laws on stormwater and smart growth. The Town needs to discuss other measures. While I have not decided my own position on this issue for West Brookfield, I believe that we in West Brookfield need to discuss adopting the provisions of the Community Preservation Act, under which Town residents can match local monies raised through a surcharge on property taxes with state funds to which we already contribute. These funds would be used for open space conservation, historic preservation, and the construction of affordable housing.

I am looking forward to discussing these and other issues as the campaign moves forward. I also expect to launch a campaign website - this will have more information about this campaign and the issues that I believe are important.