Letter to the Editor: Help solve Marion’s Pickles problem

Mar 21, 2019

To the Editor:

The Town Meeting warrant provides The Town Clerk Ray Pickles receive annual compensation of $19,493. His term in office expires in 2020. Marion has no elected official recall bylaw. Many communities have such a recall bylaw, along with bylaws limiting elected officials from holding more than one elected board position and town employees serving as elected officials.

The Town Clerk position should be changed from an elected position to an appointed paid professional position, as are the Town Treasurer and Tax Collector. These positions are best staffed by nonpolitical skilled professionals.

Pickles has been criminally indicted and being sued in a civil action for embezzlement.

Paying Pickles $19,493 would be a “sorry” event for Marion taxpayers.

Although there is no recall bylaw, a Marion vote can reduce the $19,493 to $1.00. This can be done by the Selectmen budget placed on the Town Meeting warrant. Alternatively, Town Meeting voters by floor action can reduce the compensation. This would help reduce further taxpayer loss for the alleged ill-gotten gains.

Once the Board of Selectmen stabilize the town’s senior management structure, the sewer and water issues, attention should be given on fixing the framework of municipal governance.

Ted North
Marion