Commentary

You're On The Jury

You have probably heard, a group of Gray residents has collected enough signatures to demand a recall of Gray Councilman, Andy Upham, who was just elected in 2005. The Town Charter requires a town-wide vote within 45 days. That vote will be held on May 2, 2006. Thus it is up to you to decide the fate of Andy Upham.

As a resident of Gray, I am asking you to please get involved and ask some very hard questions about whether or not Andy is guilty as charged and should be thrown out of office.

I have asked myself these questions and my answer is NO!! Andy deserves better, much better!! Let me tell you why.

According to the recall coalition, Andy has been disrespectful and discourteous to certain Gray residents, some of whom are on volunteer committees, and has created a morale problem among some municipal employees, including the outgoing Town Manager, This is it! No serious charge of illegal behavior, no collusion or misuse of funds, no failure to show up for work,---- just, that in their opinion, Andy is disrespectful.
You are being asked to throw a man out of office, who in his first year of office has given more time to researching town problems and finding solutions than most council persons over the past twenty years, there is something wrong with this picture!

What we have here is a major effort underway to deceive, to hide the real reasons why many of this elite group/clique of residents want Andy Upham fired--thrown out of office. Just days after Andy won election in 2005, some powerful members of this elite group were heard to say they were going to get rid of Andy. But why? Why would many of Gray's elite want Andy--gone? Firstly, this group prides itself as the "makers" and the "do-ers" of what gets done in town. Andy was not going to be a team player. He was already on record as being opposed to pushing through the new zone change which could not be hurriedly passed by the previous Council because the clock ran out on their watch.

Andy would become a real roadblock to passing the proposed zone changes in a hurry. Why are those zone changes so important-- you might rightly ask? Because a few very wealthy land owners need a zone change so they can make a fast buck. And no one, Andy Upham or anyone else is going to get in their way.

Then we should not forget those elite group members who have very, very big egos. No one should dare to challenge the importance of the "inner circle." In short, Gray is supposed to do what this group tells it to do.
Let me close, by saying: although you have heard my reasons for voting NO on the recall of Andy Upham, you have to ask your own questions and make your own final decision on whether Andy stays or goes.

As you do that, you should not be intimidated by this elite group or by its internet blog site, which until very recently, has been full of cruel, filthy, rabid drool.

I will ask you to consider one, final request of mine. Please do not "wash your hands of this whole, sordid mess," and say "I'm not going to get involved." I believe it is so important that all of Gray's residents turn-out to vote-----it only takes a few minutes. Let's give Andy justice. It's in the hands of the jury-----it's in your hands.

Thank you so much,
Ken Finegan, Resident of Gray