To the Editor:

It goes without saying that Wareham is at a crossroads and is in a state of crisis. To go forward with a far-sighted financial management plan requires sacrifice and sharing among tax payers and others in our town. Voting Wareham residents will decide on June 17th whether to support an override, which will protect essential services the town offers, or vote down a plan that is responsible and far- reaching. Hence, if voted down, a downward spiral will continue to prevail and we will be the losers.

For a number of Wareham residents, negativity, unhappily, has become pervasive, and even a way of life. There is a lack of trust, no longer founded, in town leadership. People need to examine carefully the five-year plan presented by the Selectmen, Finance Committee, and Town Administrator, and weigh the alternatives. This matter must concern us all. It isn't about taxes alone; this is a quality of life issue. Wareham is struggling to redeem itself. There were times when a tile on the High School floor was ripped out in the morning, repaired, and waxed by nightfall, when there was ample money for personnel and repairs. The point to be made is that there was so much pride then in the physical condition of our town.

Where are we now? We need to focus on a united plan that addresses our financial crisis and which can, in a sense, save Wareham because it faces this financial crisis with a solution that contains a voice of reason. Our leaders deserve our respect and consideration. This plan will preserve important services involving the Council on Aging, the Library, and adequate numbers of educators and policemen. These examples of investing in our town make a lot of sense. The potential consequences of losing an override are not scare tactics; the losses will be real for our citizens.

As a Wareham resident for 53 years, a retiree since 1994, a property owner, and a parent whose children were raised and educated here, I find that supporting an override is paramount to preserving economic stability and a quality of life in a beautiful town that many of us have grown to love. This comes down to sharing the responsibility of preserving what we have. The positive aspects of supporting an override will move Wareham forward. Otherwise, we will continue in a downward spiral and the negative consequences concerning property values and many other issues will prevail in the future.

Our community deserves a “yes” vote on June 17th.

Mary Nyman

WHS teacher (for 19 years)