Is Reese Berman Losing It?

The December 17, 2008 North Castle town meeting was a watershed event. Never before have so many residents turned out to participate in the rather mundane annual ritual of deciding how their $25 million gets spent. To say that these residents were enraged and irate is to miss the point. Until the financial crisis struck the nation, participation in local government has been lacking to say the least. Now that our citizens have awoken to the fact that they have been poorly represented by their elected officials, if represented at all, it will be interesting to see if democracy can be born again.

Supervisor Reese Berman's behavior at the meeting was interesting to put it charitably. She had her regular confrontation with her eternal critic and nemesis, Michael Fareri. She insisted on having the board take the budget vote before the residents and employees could be heard. This resulted in an acute sense of outrage among all present. Berman was screaming at the residents, especially Fareri, and they were screaming back at her. Becky Kittridge was doing her best to cover Reese's back, but alas, it was all for naught. The other three board members cowered in fear, praying that they could make a quick and hasty exit. Finally, after a private meeting amongst the board, they relented and agreed to hear from all.

Berman's demeanor throughout the proceedings was defensive and at times shrill. She looked like the proverbial jackass who had been hit over the head with a two by four, to get its attention. The overpaid and highly questionable town attorney Rolland Baroni did his best to avoid all eye contact and was seen to be regularly consulting his watch. Whether he was counting the minutes before he could beat a quick retreat, or he was insuring that his time was properly billed to the taxpayers, shall forever remain a mystery.

As usual, after the screaming dies down, all that's left are the tears. The board called a budget vote and unamiously passed what passed for a town budget. Even board member Weaver, the titular Republican, voted in the affirmative. The audience was outraged but resigned to their fate. But one thing is for certain, neither the board members nor Berman, acquitted themselves well with their performances. They will pay price and that price will be exacted in November.