Town Prosperity, Resident Involvement and Potential Impact.
Editorial by: Doug Minghella

I was brought up in a small, friendly city in Massachusetts. The type of place where no one locked their doors and all of your neighbors were either family or friends. It was a great place to grow up.

I say "was" because that is no longer the case. Throughout the years, I began to notice things change... and not for the better. Somewhere along the way, the city transcended from a great place to live into a city of high taxes, crime, traffic and toxic dumping.

Sure we could have blamed it on corrupt politicians, but the reality is... it was the fault of the people that lived there. The local media preferred to rarely (if ever) report negative news and the residents did not take it upon themselves to stay informed on the potential negative impact that may arise from proposed changes to our city. The few that were "in the know" chose to turn a blind eye. Needless to say, within a few short years, negative changes ran rampant throughout the city. Gone forever were the days of being able to leave the doors unlocked or being able to take a "quick run to the store" without getting stuck in 10 minutes of traffic. Although many new families have since arrived, most of us decided to move elsewhere.

About 10 years ago, I came up here on vacation. I immediately fell in love with the area and the sincerity of those who lived here. I knew I was home again. Before my vacation was over, I put down a deposit on some property. To me, Eliot was, and still is, reminiscent of where I grew up. The place where I hope to raise a family and someday retire. I also realize, however, that unless all of us remain informed and do our part, our town may someday suffer the same fate as my former hometown. As today's lifestyles don't allow for much extra time, it's understandable that many of us can't find the time to be more involved; but when I see only two people in the audience at a town meeting and only 5% of the town showing up on election day, it makes me wonder what will become of this town that I have grown to love. 

We all need to be aware of the new changes to our town. This can be done by:

• Attending town meetings

• Frequently checking for newly posted messages on the Official Eliot Town Website

• Researching the local issues through various news sources and government websites

We all need to be aware of potential impact of changes to our town. The increase of new businesses in our town is welcomed by many of the local residents, myself included, as the new businesses could potentially have many positive effects on all of our lives, including:

• Keeping our tax rates low and possibly even lowering them.

• Adding to the convenience of our daily lives.

• Allowing the town to provide added programs, services and needed updates without increasing the tax rate.

I am, however, fully aware of the potential negative impact that the wrong businesses can have upon a town. It is our duty, as town residents, to be cognizant of what types of businesses are moving in to our town and if they will pose any negative aspects, including:

• Increases in traffic

• Increases to noise pollution.

• Increases to the local crime rate

• Dumping of unwanted materials or toxic wastes

• Negative impacts upon our local wildlife

We all need to voice our opinions. Armed with our new-found knowledge, we all need to start going to Town Meetings and voting.

I hope that most (if not all) of you feel the same about our town. We all need to find the time to become more involved. If so, we'll all be doing our part to keep Eliot a great place to live for years to come.

ETJ would like your option and suggestions on this topic. What changes would you like to see in our town? What types of industry and commerce would you like to see in Eliot? Please send us your feedback by using the submission form on the home page.