Editorial: Advocacy vs. obstruction

There is a line between being an aggressive advocate and an obstructionist. Somerset Selectwoman Eleanor Gagnon seems not to know where that line is, or even that it exists.

During the discussion and vote on the final two candidates for town administrator last Wednesday, Gagnon made it perfectly clear that she did not favor either applicant. She said she didn't believe Dennis Luttrell or Peter Gracykowski have the qualifications or personnel experience to handle the town administrator job in Somerset, and that both candidates should be thrown out and the entire search process reopened.

Whether one agrees with Gagnon - and her assertion that Luttrell, who serves as town administrator of Sherborn, lacks experience is questionable, at best - doesn't matter. Voicing a dissenting opinion is a selectman's job. Disagreement and debate is how consensus is reached and - theoretically, at least - the best solution is found.

But when the debate is over, the legislative body, despite the differences of the individual members, has to be able to come back together to move onto other issues. There has to be at least the appearance of an ability to cooperate.

Gagnon's inability - or refusal - to move on after losing the debate on Luttrell - who was hired by a 2-1 vote - shows a lack of professionalism and a misunderstanding of how a legislative body functions. Frankly, she makes herself look like a bitter, sore loser.

Instead of putting up a united front to show support for the man who has been hired to run the town she's supposed to serve, Gagnon continued to attack the integrity and ability not only of Luttrell, but also of her own colleagues, Selectmen Bill Meehan and Lorne Lawless. She accused Meehan and Lawless of engaging in a bag job, deciding on their own to hire Luttrell without engaging in the proper discovery process. She even went so far as to accuse them of setting Luttrell's salary ahead of time, without providing any evidence to back up her sensational claims.