Incumbents

Okay, folks, we are down to the wire. The Selectman’s race outcome is anyone’s guess. Rick Atherton, Brian Chadwick and Whitey Willauer seem to be in a statistical dead heat (with Rick out front by a nose), according to my recent polling. And David Gray, who is a wonderful guy whose service to the island is unending, is making an impressive run with lots of yard signs and buttons and posts on YACKon.com. This year is somewhat unusual in that we have two incumbent selectmen looking to be re-elected. Did you know that no selectman incumbent has won re-election since 2001? It’s true. But this year there’s a good chance one or both will win. Given this fact, I thought is would be a good idea to take a look at the records of Chadwick and Willauer so you can walk into the voting booth well informed.

Of course, I’m not telling you who to vote for, mind you. I’m just laying out the facts.

But first, a little history. Brian Chadwick won the selectman’s race three years ago in a tough field, and he did so by garnering the most selectman’s votes in Nantucket history. It is fair to say, that in 2005, the island was euphoric for Brian Chadwick (although it could have simply been the endorphin-inducing effects of the gazillion chocolate bars he passed out during his campaign). Either way, it’s safe to say that he started on the board with broad support. He could have done anything he wanted. Championed any cause. Put forth any initiatives. And the voters would have supported him. Whitey Willauer, on the other hand began his selectman’s career on slightly less sure footing. He had made a promise to recuse himself from Great-Harbor-Yacht-Club-related votes if he had been elected, and then he went back on the promise. A year later, when he took over as chair, many people called for him to step down. The initial meetings he ran were confusing and seemingly disorganized. People called him “befuddled.” Things were a mess. And the community was not quite sure about this Whitey guy.

But in the two years since that point in time, Whitey’s trajectory as a public figure has risen, while Brian’s has fallen like a beetle-infested black pine in a nor’easter.

Remember, I’m not telling you who to vote for, mind you. I’m just laying out the facts.

In August of 2006, a poll on YACKon.com revealed that Whitey and Brian were in a dead heat with regard to effectiveness. Last week, I took another poll and over 85 people rated the selectmen in seven categories for effectiveness: Performance in meetings, performance out of meetings, conduct as a selectman, promotion of programs and positive changes, working well with other selectmen, working to improve government and working on issues that the voter cares about. The results were pretty stunning. Chadwick got mostly low marks in all seven categories. Willauer got mostly high marks. And when you look at them head to head, Willauer outscores Chadwick in nearly every one of these categories by nearly two to one. You can take the poll yourselves. It’s still up on the YACKon.com home page.

And keep in mind, I’m not telling you who to vote for, mind you. I’m just laying out the facts.

So what’s the reason for this dramatic change in fortunes — Chadwick transitioning from universal support to nearly universal scorn, and Whitey just the opposite? Well, their records as selectmen might have something to do with it.



Chadwick has a well documented record of doing two things. One, wearing bow ties and tassel loafers. And two, voting against initiatives started by others (Like the Car Limitations legislation, SBPF ballot initiatives and the Nantucket Sewer Advisory Committee and Sewer Act, to name a few).

Whitey, on the other hand has been an active booster for a number of important changes in our government and the way our town’s daily business is managed. (Like professional development for town management, a smarter Waste Options contract, The Nantucket Sewer Act, Gasification, A budget with no operational Prop 2-1/2 override and Bulk Fuel Management.)
Just check out the sidebars here to compare the records of the two selectmen. I’m not telling you who to vote for, mind you. I’m just laying out the facts.

Brian’s record isn’t all bad, of course. He did engineer that nifty land swap with Mr. Reis. And he did attempt to get the town to buy the Island Spirits building for a transportation hub (an idea I did not agree with but I know a number of people did, just not enough to pass at the ballot).

And Whitey’s record is not all sweetness and light either. Some of his people skills lack refinement. To say the least. Whitey has a way of hammering down speakers in public meetings and cutting people off that is reminiscent of that old guy in my neighborhood growing up who used to yell at us kids to “Stay off my lawn, dammit!” That guy scared me. (Shudder.)

But when you ask yourself, who has gotten more “stuff” that benefits you and me accomplished on the BOS this year, Brian or Whitey, the nod has to go to Whitey. By a gigantic margin. In my opinion.

But hey, I’m not telling you who to vote for, mind you. I’m just laying out the facts.