One more slanderous “confusion” from the Plymouth Select Board, this time from its chair, Richard Quintal, whose target was Frank Mand, vice-president of a not-for-profit environmental organization, the Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Alliance. In his confusion, Mr. Quintal managed to offend not only Frank Mand, but also the entire grassroots environmental community of Plymouth and refused to apologize when confronted with facts.
Mr. Mand became a favorite target of the Select Board because he dared to criticize developers for destroying the town’s natural environment thus earning a reputation of a tree-hugger. So every time Frank runs for a Plymouth municipal office, Select Board members fire a collective salvo at him. [Mand is a candidate for Planning Board in the May 17 town election.]
Another recently confused Select Board decided to allow guns in Town Hall. Selectman Bletzer enthusiastically promoted the guns, while selectman Mahoney vacillated between yay, nay, and maybe. Thanks to the avalanche of letters from Plymouth community, that decision was nullified.
Like many citizens of Plymouth, I am confused too. I don’t know how the Select Board, an executive division of the town, can make legislative decisions such as gun control. I don’t know how the five members of the Select Board can control new construction in Plymouth, even though Plymouth Town Meeting is supposed to be the supreme power in our municipality.
– Anatol Zukerman