Over the years, we've seen Marlborough city councils paralyzed by factionalism, where political feuds got in the way of constructive problem-solving, and we've seen city councils marked by a clubby complacency, where problems were avoided rather than solved. The current City Council is somewhere in between.
To hear the incumbent councilors-at-large tell it, everything is hunky-dory. They all get along, they say, and there's no need to change a thing. To those who believe better government comes from vigorous debate, such unanimity is not necessarily comforting. "It's too cliquey," is how one challenger put it. "It's time to shuffle the cards."
Even the challengers agree the city is in pretty good shape, particularly in its finances, reflecting the general conservatism of City Council. But tight budgets require sacrifices, and city employees are being asked to sacrifice the most, through wage freezes, layoffs and increased workloads. Their pain is exacerbated by the anti-government attitudes expressed by some of the more conservative voices on the Council, which come across as anti-employee.
If the four incumbent at-large councilors seem to be running as a team, the four challengers prefer to be seen as individuals, with their own strengths and priorities. There are no parties or platforms in this campaign, so we choose to consider the candidates as individuals, with an eye toward bringing a healthy mix of perspectives to the Council. Here's how we rank them:
- Michael McGorty, who served four years as mayor and eight years on City Council, is returning to politics after 12 years out of office. He is a strong leader, an experienced public servant, and he is passionate about protecting Marlborough's schools, services and quality of life. He has criticized the council's occasional arrogance, and he deserves the chance to make it a better, more balanced, body.
- Arthur Vigeant, seeking his ninth term, is the unquestioned leader of the City Council. He is smart, knowledgeable, sometimes abrasive, but often constructive. While we've regularly disagreed with him, he has earned our respect.
- Michael Ossing is independent, conscientious and ethical - in 10 years on City Council, he has never accepted a political contribution. He concentrates on making sure public money is well-spent, and his efforts have served the city well.
- Mark Oram, who served as a ward councilor for 12 years, is also hoping to return to public office. As public health director for Ashland for 25 years, he has a good grip on policy-making at the local and state level. His return would bring a respectful, constructive voice to the Council.
