Coupe D' Etat

Coupe D' Etat: The sudden overthrow of a government by a usually small group of persons in or previously in positions of authority.


If you were at the Town Meeting on Monday November 3, 2008 that is what you witnessed. Town Meeting, the governing body of the Town and Voice of the People was infiltrated and suppressed by an (union) organized group employed by the Seekonk School Department.

I said it in the meeting, and I will say it again here. Half of the people in attendance last night will not step foot in another town meeting until it becomes time to pad their pockets yet again. It is a disgrace, and a gross manipulation of the democratic process.

Never have I seen Town Meeting go against both the recommendations of the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee. Especially when they are both in agreement with each other. Instead Robert McLintock stood up before every question was put to vote and in effect directed the back half of the room on how to place their votes. That is not democracy. That is an organized group of people hijacking democracy.

Robert McLintock in every town meeting I have ever attended has preached fiscal conservation. Last night he did an about face, and showed himself to be a complete hypocrite, and that he is nothing more than a whipping boy for the unions. He should resign in shame as soon as he possibly can.

With all respect to Michael Carol, our town administrator, because I think he is doing a great job, this is what happens when you have a Department Head in the town who is not a resident. Dr. Emile Chevrette could care less about the financial stability of the town. He doesn't live in it! All he cares about is sucking up to the unions and solidifying his power-base in the town while he is collecting a 130 thousand dollars a year to do it.

If you think it is over after this, think again. If state aid really does crumble next year, the residents of Seekonk could very well be faced with a Prop 2 1/2 override question being presented to them. Think of what the School Department, backed by the teachers union, will do to get that vote passed, or if it does not pass, think of what will happen to our schools when teachers get laid off in order to balance the budget.

I have two children. I understand the importance of a good education. But we need to set our limits. We need to understand the REALITY that money is not going to come flowing into the town. The teachers need to remember that their paychecks, benefits, retirement pensions, are all funded by tax payer money. My money, your money, your grandparents money. They do not work in the private sector, they work in the public sector, and therefore are not entitled to the pay increases and benefit levels of a private sector worker. I should also point out that in this economy, even private sector employees are lucky to see raises from their employers and often pay a higher portion of their benefits than these teachers do.

These teachers may get their raises this year, but once that budget is passed, they should start looking around and crossing their fingers hoping that it will not be them that gets a pink-slip handed to them next year. Maybe if they had not forced their selfishness on the town it would be in a better position to help them, or least be more willing to help them. For me...when the time comes... I will remind them that they are getting exactly what they deserve.

So I urge every voting member of Seekonk to attend the Special Town Meeting on Saturday November 8th. Let YOUR voice be heard. If you don't agree with me that is fine, but at least the voters of Seekonk would get the chance to let their own voices be heard, and not the voice of a powerful few.