Claire Smith of Old Plate Drive, West Wareham, spent most of her childhood in town, and graduated from Wareham High School in 1964. She studied accounting at Kinyon-Campbell Business School in New Bedford, and she has co-owned and -managed Smith's Cesspool Service for almost 40 years with her husband Howard in addition to raising three children.

Smith said that she was inspired to run for Town Moderator after years of politely declining suggestions that she run for political office.

"I've been approached several times for public office over the years," said Smith. "This is the first time I've given it serious thought."

This year, however, Smith said that Town Meeting faces several challenges. She said that there has been a lack of respect and civility at recent Town Meetings that unnecessarily causes conflict in the town.

"It divides the town when other opinions cannot be heard," Smith said. "We should all hear others' thoughts - sometimes a differing opinion can change your mind. There's no reason why we can't disagree and still respect each other."

Furthermore, the town is considering adopting a mayoral and elected town council form of government to replace Town Meeting, arguing that a mayor and town council would be more representative of voters and more nimble in addressing town businesses than semiannual town meetings.

Smith, a self-described "Town-Meeting junkie," disagrees.

"I've lived through a generation where town meeting worked and still believe it can," Smith said. "Many good people who believe in Town Meeting have lost their desire to participate, and I will work diligently to restore confidence that Town Meeting can work."

To do so, Smith said she will draw on her experience with Wareham community organizations. Smith has served as the clerk of the Wareham Land Trust and the R.D. Stillman Fund and is a cofounder and member of the Board of Directors of the Wareham High School Alumni Association. She has moderated Candidates Night for the Onset Protective League. When the Town of Rochester approved the SEMASS waste-to-energy plant just over the Wareham town line, she organized the West Wareham Concerned Citizens group which successfully negotiated to keep trash-delivery routes from residential neighborhoods on Cranberry Highway.

She would like to revive this group's "pre-Town Meeting" tradition, bringing the Town Moderator and chairman of the finance committee together to explain the warrant, to help improve Town Meeting.

"We would go over each and every article so that we went to town meeting understanding the warrant beforehand," Smith said.  "As the chair, I never took a public position, but made sure that everyone heard both sides of the 'story.'"
Smith believes this will help eliminate confusion.

"I believe in educating people so that they come to town meeting prepared and understand what a 'yes' or 'no' vote means," Smith said. "It's difficult for people sitting there who are reading the article for the first time and trying to understand it and then the moderator calls for a vote."

She also hopes to investigate holding town meeting on Saturdays and providing childcare services for attendees.

"The role of a moderator is to bring a diverse group together in pursuit of a common goal," Smith said. "That goal is the business of the town."