LETTERS

To the editor: I take pen in hand today to give response to a letter to the editor from Gregory Bates of Cherry Street who in the June 15 edition proposed a change in the wording to the Marblehead anthem known as “Marblehead Forever.” He writes that the song should read “First in revolution, first in 61 and 3A pricks we are known to be” instead of the original which states “First in revolution, first in 61 and from all dishonor we shall keep her…

July Fourth is not just the date of our country’s founding, it is also the annual opportunity for the nation’s take slingers to Say Something Important About America. Especially with this year being the 250th anniversary of the republic’s birth. The narratives they will ask us to reflect on, to contemplate, to consider, are all familiar. Some are about America’s descent into autocracy or, perhaps, kakistocracy. Others are about making our country great again (it was already great). July Fourth is not about any of…

To the editor: I wanted to publicly thank the Board of Health for providing me with my new simply enormous garbage and recycling cans. Why struggle along with the appropriately-sized ones that I purchased after evaluating my storage space and disposal needs when I can have a garbage can in which I may, if necessary, dispose of an entire dead steer? I am confident too that my next door neighbor, a lovely person in her 70s who lives alone and does not have a driveway,…

To the editor: Why did the Board of Health sign off on spending nearly a million dollars for new oversized trash and recycling containers that very few of us want? Why weren’t we given a choice of which size we needed or if we needed any at all? It seems clear that the rollout was rushed and ill-prepared. This is a tremendous waste of taxpayer dollars. It’s also created a small mountain of plastic trash that needs to be hauled to the dump. Here are…

To the editor: Over two-and-one-half weeks (starting on May 4) I placed two phone calls that weren’t returned; followed by an email, not returned; and then a third call requesting information from our town administrator. Not good public relations, but who knows. I wanted to inquire about what was happening with the major borrowing allocation of $15,500,000 to specifically fund roads and sidewalk improvements across town, which voters approved at the 2022 Town Meeting. My wonder started when driving around town. I was thoroughly confused…

To the editor: Three cheers for Marblehead democracy, which achieved a satisfactory outcome Tuesday without the help of this local voter. Registering for a mail-in ballot was the easy bit. Knowing I was going to be in Scotland on June 9,  I strolled into the Town Clerk’s office a week or so before leaving and signed the absentee voter form. It takes time to print ballot papers, and the law of the Commonwealth is that a mail-in ballot must be mailed out by the Town…

To the editor: With the Fourth of July pending, the 250th Anniversary underway and the town's newfound notoriety, it might be time to spruce up the lyrics to the town song. “First in revolution, first in ’61 and 3A pricks we are known to be.” Gregory BatesCherry Street

To the editor: On June 9, Marblehead voters went to the polls in record numbers and passed Question 3 in all six precincts, marking the town’s first general Proposition 2 1⁄2 override in 21 years. Residents made clear that they value town services, infrastructure and institutions, want to avoid deep cuts to schools and town services, and are ready to put Marblehead on a stronger path forward. The For Marblehead campaign was powered by a broad group of volunteers spanning generations — from great-grandparents to…

To the editor:  Now that Marblehead voters have approved the $15 million override, it's time to recognize two people whose tireless work helped make it happen: Matt Hooks and Kate Haesche Thomson. The 4MHD campaign was exceptionally well conceived and executed. Through hours of planning, organizing, communicating and engaging with residents and town officials, Matt and Kate helped ensure voters had the information they needed to make an informed decision about the future of our town. Campaigns like this don't succeed by accident. They succeed…

To the editor: As we move toward July 1, there has been much discussion regarding the major challenge of storing and handling the new, larger town-issued trash and recycling bins. I must admit some difficulty in wrapping my head around how the cost impact of significantly slowing down trucks to position mechanical arms is offset by eliminating the hustling workers who have followed the trucks for years. I am sure this conclusion was based on what was learned from a fair and open bidding process. …