From former Selectman John Kennan, Jr.: I have refrained from making public comment on the RFP process however after watching your most recent meeting on Thursday August 7th, I am compelled to say the following. I watched your most recent selectmens meeting and of course was particularly interested in how you would handle the RFP interviews on Tuesday August 12th both from a procedural and substantive point of view. There was considerable discourse regarding who would be allowed to speak during the interview(s). Clearly the message was the public is invited but they would have no opportunity to speak until at least the follow up meeting you are having on August 14th. The concern appeared to be the process could drag out indefinitely. While I understand there is a deliberate attempt to control the interviews from the standpoint of time management I am truly concerned that there is an over emphasis on the potential duration of the interview process. That was the message that emanated from your discussion the other night. What also concerns me and I hope I am wrong is there appears to be an attempt to control the direction of the process substantively. That is a very slippery slope! I believe that the right thing to do in spite of what some would like to have happen is to allow both respondents TRT and Clark Consulting, the ability to let their attorneys, engineers, consultants, advisors et al answer questions if and when needed. That in my mind is wholly consistent with procurement law. There has been sufficient time for the review of responsive documents specifically, months of review and questions. We are at a point now where our Town Manager has assembled a team to review the documents and to interview both respondents in person on August 12th which will be followed by a public meeting on August 14th for the public or “legislative body” in Town to exercise their right to speak on these matters. The Board of Selectmen will have the opportunity to listen to the findings of fact by the “interview team” and “public comment” and it is at this point there can be or should not be any deliberate attempt or excuse to delay voting on which respondent will be awarded the opportunity to Partner with the Town for development of their vision of South Sandwich Village Center. I must say that while we are standing at the threshold of an incredible socio-economic opportunity for our great Town of Sandwich we are at the same time teetering on the precipice of complete failure which could inevitably result in a total collapse of town government as we presently know and understand it. My observations of the current sentiment in Town is that a very substantial block of voters will not tolerate what is perceived as mismanagement affecting their socio-economic wellbeing. You can choose a path that will be identified as making history for the greater good of our community or alternatively you can choose a path that is regressive, the latter being unacceptable to me and Im quite sure many others!
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 00:11:47 +0000