What is the proper size for a governing body? This question has come to the forefront recently, not only at the state level, where a unicameral legislature is under consideration, but also locally. Old Orchard Beach Charter Commission members are proposing a seven-person Town Council instead of five-person, while voters in Lyman are informally discussing whether it’s time to step up to five selectmen instead of three.
There is a fine balance between providing enough representation and keeping a governing body to a manageable size so that work can actually be accomplished. The municipalities and school districts that are largest tend to have larger boards so that each section feels represented, but those entities also generally have some kind of leadership such as a superintendent or city manager. Without that person, management of a large board and of the entity they oversee would be too much for a part-time elected official.
In Biddeford, nine councilors represent each ward of the city, so the residents of the coast, the downtown, the outskirts and everything in between all feel they have a voice. In School Administrative District 57, 18 people make up the school board, representing all six towns of the district proportionally by population. In each case, the boards are guided by paid personnel who direct them toward the issues that need consideration.
Old Orchard Beach does have a town manager to play this role, but we question whether the town’s 8,624 residents need more than five representatives. If Biddeford, a city of more than 21,277, has nine, it stands to reason that five is plenty for the beach town.
When boards become bloated with too many people, most members do not have enough of a chance to have their voice heard or their questions answered because there is simply not enough time at meetings, and it doesn’t serve voters well either. Residents of each RSU 57 town, for example, have three representatives on the RSU 57 board to whom they could bring their concerns. Which one of them should people call? The one most likely to speak up at meetings or the one they believe will favor their position? Whoever they can get on the phone? Most people just end up calling the superintendent directly, rather than their representatives, so it seems cumbersome to have so many people voting for each town. A weighted vote could be achieved just as easily with fewer people, giving each of them more of a chance to participate.
By contrast, the Town of Lyman has no town manager and only three selectmen ”“ a board so small that if a member has to recuse him or herself from a vote due to a conflict of interest then an important town decision could theoretically be deadlocked 1-1.
Many residents there seem to agree that Lyman is still too small to need a town manager, at 4,344 residents, but that a board of only three people also raises concerns that a voting block of only two ”“ who might be lifelong friends ”“ would shut out a third member and leave many town decisions in the control of just a couple people. The town is not alone in having a small board, however ”“ Dayton has only three as well, but its population is about half that of Lyman, at 1,965.
We would suggest that five members is a healthy number for a small town ”“ it’s what Arundel, Wells and Kennebunkport have on their selectmen’s boards. Kennebunk, which is a comparably small town, has seven members on its board and selectmen’s meetings routinely get bogged down in minutiae, often dragging on into the wee hours of the night before any business is actually accomplished.
Old Orchard Beach Charter Commission member John Bird has said that a seven-member council would help to prevent cliques and block voting, but we feel that a five member board does that as well. It’s enough people so that differing opinions are represented and if anyone needs to be absent or recuse him or herself, they can do so without leaving the board significantly diminished. As for the formation of cliques, prevention of that is up to the voters.
In Arundel, the board of selectmen now has majority representation from the business community, which has become politically active in recent years. Three of the five members are champions of business causes, and their voting power led to the former town manager’s contract not being renewed and significantly helped along Bentley’s Saloon in its bid to overcome occupancy restrictions last year, for example. They certainly represent a voting block, if you will, but they are who the voters chose and any informed Arundel voter knew that they were handing over a majority vote to the pro-business representatives. Expanding the board is not a solution to this type of situation because a majority voting block is possible no matter how big you go ”“ just look at Congress.
Speaking of which, the legislature in Maine is currently considering reducing its members from one house to two: A unicameral legislature. The Senate and House we currently have would be combined into one unit made up of 151 members ”“ a move that many say would save money for the state. Others have argued that this move would eliminate the system of checks and balances in our government and overwhelm the senators, who would be representing many more people than they currently do.
Combining the legislature into one body is estimated to save more than $11.5 million dollars in every budget cycle, which is the cost of operating the current Senate. Four other states have this system and while its merits are certainly up for debate, it seems that eliminating the two-body system at the core of our government would be a bad idea. The founding fathers of this country knew that power concentrated in the hands of too few, with a deciding vote, could be dangerous. We would propose instead to cut back on the number of legislators, which would also save money. Saco, for example, is represented by one senator and two representatives. Does a city of that size really need so much representation? It seems one person in the House and one in the Senate would give the city sufficient voice, while saving taxpayers money and retaining our system of government without drastic change.
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Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via e-mail at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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