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No Longer Serves Our Community

There is much to love about our small town of Chester and its 4,000 residents. At the heart of the debate on whether or not to adopt the proposed charter referendum is the central question: “Why go bigger? “Keep Chester small.” However, if we take a moment to peer under the hood of town governance, we will find a host of inefficiencies.

It’s been 50 years since Chester considered the option of governance by charter. Over the same period, we have seen the auto industry computerize systems in all cars, necessitating repair shops to adapt to new technology. To best serve its customers, this technology is now the industry standard. This analogy holds true for town governance, which has grown increasingly complex. We can no longer avoid those “update service” warning lights on our town governance dashboard.

Sustaining continuity in executive leadership has been challenging for the town, as well as recruiting professional staff and finding volunteers to fill vacancies on boards and commissions. These are just a few of the indicators calling for a new governing apparatus for Chester. We must adopt the current industry standard for governance: a town charter.

As part of its long-range capital plan, Chester approved the purchase of a new fire truck to the tune of $750,000. Since then, the cost for the truck has risen to almost $1 million. A new apparatus was needed because the old one ceased to serve our current needs.

On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, Chester voters will have an important decision to make about whether to adopt the proposed Chester charter. It’s time to retire what no longer serves our community. We can’t wait another 50 years.

Erik Anderson Sr.

Cheste