When it comes to the difference between a citizen like myself and a member of government, isn’t it amazing that those in government will use something like a town charter against me and yet when I press the very same thing the charter will help someone in government?

Windham presently has a Charter Study Committee reviewing and updating the language of our town’s ancient and decrepit charter. I personally feel it was long overdue but that is nothing new for Windham especially when some of the town’s problems have been so obvious for so long and yet there is a great amount of fear to correct what is wrong.

One of the greatest problems with the Windham Town Charter is the fact that much of it is poorly written and therefore poorly interpreted. I take the example of Councilor Scott Hayman moving out of the North District for which he was voted to represent and now residing in the West District. A perfect example is our town attorney’s interpretation of our charter, which is about as clear to me as muddy water during a spring flood.

At one point in Ken Cole III’s letter to the town manager he states “that particular councilor still owns land in North Windham and has indicated an intent to return to North Windham. As such, he has not necessarily changed his residence” and then he sites a reference to common law, although I think he stretches the meaning of common law. I guess if I “intend” to move to North Windham and sleep overnight in my car to prove it, I, therefore, am also residing in North Windham since I want to live there in the future.

I personally have no problem with Scott Hayman staying on the council until the November elections although I still feel the intent of the Windham Town Charter was broken.

I mention the Charter Study Committee for a reason. The committee members have been hard at work in order to correct some of the outdated material in the charter especially when it comes to the school department that is now a regional school unit having combined with Raymond. Minor administrative changes are fine with me as long as the voters of Windham are the approving authority for those changes. However, having stated that, what I fear the most is that some of changes recommended by the committee may, in fact, be substantial changes that require a formal charter commission.

One subject discussed was having the town clerk appointed by the town manager instead of being voted in at the polls. This was tried once in Windham and thank God it failed. I don’t care what other cities or towns do, an elected town clerk works well in Windham. I did notice in the paperwork from the Windham town manager to the committee mentioned that the town council appoint the clerk. That is not what they discussed and I have to wonder why the change. The note also mentioned that Tony Plante will check with the town attorney to see if the charter could have this change made without a charter commission.

It is very important that the Charter Study Committee make recommendations to the citizens of Windham, not to the town manager, town attorney or town councilors. The charter is our Bible that instructs our municipal government how to operate. If we let them change it without our approval, the citizens will be the losers.

Windham did lose something a few weeks ago and that was Councilor Carol Waig. Although we seldom agreed on much of anything, I admire her standing up for what she believes in. At first I thought she was wrong about town employees fearing to talk to the town manager. Maybe it’s time for another town committee to study the daily operations of our town government.

Lane Hiltunen, of Windham, loves charter chitter chatter. Do you have any?

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