As I was watching the news yesterday I noticed someone being interviewed and realized I knew the person. It was Michael Coughlin - now the town manager in a town called Westport here in Massachusetts. I knew Mike many years ago when he was the town manager in Southbridge - another town in Massachusetts.
Mike was being interviewed because once again his progressive policies and leadership are helping both the town of Westport as well the people living there. It seems as if everyone there appreciates his work and what he has done for the town over the years.
When Mike was in Southbridge things were far different - he had created some huge changes and the town was looking better than ever, he had cleaned things up and the town was moving in the right direction. For myself he was a breath of fresh air and I even found myself thinking that this might be a town I could live in - but that didn't last. All the other town selectmen were determined to get Mike out - he was making too much (not true) he was turning the town into Wellesley (not possible) and he was not the right man for the job (not from the evidence) But they squawked and complained and grumbled and fought and bellyached until Mike had finally had enough and moved on to a town where his talents would be appreciated - and they were!
Pericles tried to bring change to Athens thousands of years ago and faced similar challenges. Although the Athenians realized the changes were for the better they resisted. Human nature I guess. In their case Pericles was successful and ushered in the golden age of Athens - not so for Southbridge.
I drove through Southbridge the other day (and I visit a lot of towns in the state) what a mess. The town just looks dirty and old, depressed and gloomy - hopeless. All the decent people I know have been trying to move away. I cant blame them. All of the "cool" and "trendy" places that were opening when Mike was there have closed and been replaced by more of the same. The schools are rated very low, the taxes are very high, the roads are bad etc etc. I feel bad that the leadership and people of Southbridge couldn't handle the change and were so jealous and resistant to it. I hope they feel some responsibility for the sorry state of things now but my guess is when they read this they will say "not true" or "things aren't bad" or "he doesn't know what he is talking about" -My response is this - but they are, your right things are probably worse than this and I most certainly do!
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2 comments:
I had lived in Southbridge at that time as well and moved away as well. The selectmen that were pushing Mike were the biggest idiots. What ever happened to those people I wonder, Ron Chernisky, Conrad Vandal and the rest. No doubt still living in the past.
I apreciate your comment (I sent the link to about 25 former and current residents and I know who you are btw) I had left names out intentionally. There were at least 5 other people besides these that were negative and spiteful so it isn't fair to single anyone out. My point is simply to show the different ways people respond to the same situation. In Southbridge Mike was met with skeptisism, distrust, ignorance and jealousy - not so in Westford.
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