Walking the walk

A different perspective might change how we see something, but it doesn't change what we see.

So it is with the town's finances.

During the campaign, we heard that Falmouth has a "tight budget" and the departments have been "level funded" for several years now. While these may be true statements, being level funded doesn't mean we're spending our money wisely.

I've been easing into my new role as selectman, something which requires a variety of things, including the printing of business cards. At first glance, business cards are a trivial expense, but then there is that old saw about the devil and the details.

The folks in the selectmen's office sent me to the local printer where the town gets its business cards. When I presented an example, the gentleman behind the counter said that the example I brought - blue ink (one color) on plain, white card stock - was the "old" style. The "new" style, of which he had a sample from one of our incumbent selectmen, was blue and gold ink (two colors) on linen card stock.

The difference in cost for 500 cards - the typical order - is perhaps $10, if that. But if there are 100 people in town government using these "new" cards, that amounts to $1,000 - in business cards alone. I've been told that only the selectmen and town manager have these cards, but even if this is true, it's one office too many.

Businesses need to project a certain image. My wife - who owns a real estate brokerage - has full color cards with her picture because she needs to project a particular image. The only image a town government - any government - needs to project is that of efficiency and fiscal responsibility, so the cheaper the business card, the better.

I ordered the cheap business cards, and since I get a stipend for being selectman, I paid for them myself.