The problem with hard decisions

The problem with hard decisions is... well, they're hard.
It's easy to say that elected officials and professional staff administrators should buck up and make the hard decisions that town needs made, and I would certainly agree that these folks have a responsibility to work diligently on resolving the tough budget issues that the town faces today.
But I would also remind residents of Andover that we have the priviledge of an Open Town Meeting government, and that the residents bear a significant responsibility as the legislative body of the town. Leaders indeed need to lead, but voters ultimately make the tough decisions about whether or not the leaders are headed in the direction the town is willing to follow.
To some people, it seems that there are "common sense" solutions to the budget problems that the town faces, and that "town priorities" can be a guidepost for resolving these choices. If only it could be so easy.
Andover is a town of many people, with diverse backgrounds, ages, financial circumstances, and ultimately, priorities. To speak of "town priorities" is to beg the question - what really are the priorities of the town? Each department of the town government has a mission statement and associated goals. The school department has a well-articulated 'vision' published in the budget document, and the Vision 21 study several years ago attempted to craft a town-wide statement of shared values and priorities. In addition, each elected official may have their individual priorities, or those they feel are important to some particular constituency.
I believe that there is much to be gained by having our town leaders spend much more time (outside of budget season) meeting together to deliberate these various 'visions', and to attempt to forge a common strategy for pursuit of an integrated view of where the town is trying to be in the future, from both a services and a financial standpoint.
Common sense doesn't always solve our problems either... When faced with state and federal unfunded mandates that place crushing financial burdens on the town, with essential expenses such as health care rising 10-15% per year, with a strongly unionized labor force, and with budget authority split between multiple elected bodies, the management of the town must often face choices between alternatives that make limited sense to many observers.
While Andover's leaders face some difficult negotiations and choices this year, the voters also hold responsibility for decisions that may have significant and long-lasting impact on the town. Those who criticize their elected leaders for failing to make the necessary decisions should give some though to their own accountability for these decisions, and certainly should reflect on whether they, or someone else they know, might be capable of providing effective guidance through these tradeoffs. If so, then they have ample opportunity to contribute - immediately - to helping resolve those dilemas [Several residents decided to attend this morning's financial planning meeting, and were openly welcomed to literally 'sit at the table' and participate with the subcommittees as peers], and should be encouraged to run for office.