Cut out voters in finance revamp? No, moderator says

The following viewpoint was submitted by John D. Leone, moderator of Arlington's Town Meeting: The most important vote at this year’s Town Meeting, was not the passage of our budget and capital plan, the leaf-blower bylaw compromise (passed) or the plastic water bottle ban (failed).  It was the unceremonious and near unanimous, no-action vote on Article 22.   For those unaware, Article 22 sought permission from Town Meeting for the selectmen to file home-rule legislation to allow for the creation of an appointed "coordinated department of municipal finance" and the dissolution of the elected treasurer’s position. In essence, this misguided article wanted to eliminate the elected treasurer position and replace the entire office of the treasurer with a new coordinated finance department headed by an appointed director of finance under the authority of the town manager. ...