Oxford Election Profiles: Norm Bell

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Norm Bell is far and away the better choice between the two candidates for Oxford Commissioner. Norm’s record of volunteer involvement, especially on the issues of rising water levels, flooding, town staff relations and true transparency, are critical for providing clear leadership for Oxford for the next three years.

Josh Coder is good person but has far too little experience and involvement to provide the kind of strong leadership that Norm is capable of delivering. Josh’s unwillingness to speak publicly in environments not controlled by his handlers has become apparent. Does anyone think these handlers, who do most all Josh’s campaign work, don’t have their own agenda for Josh to follow if elected?

Josh is asking for our votes. He needs to answer questions like these:

!. Everyone wants to cut spending but how does Josh propose to do so for Oxford? For example, what would he have cut from the 2024 budget, just passed weeks ago?

2. How specifically does Josh propose to act on flooding over and above what is being done and has been done. And how would he pay for it?

3. Josh needs to explain his position on annexation when there is virtually no place for Oxford to expand and the town has virtually shut the door on expansion. How can this be priority?

Josh’s web site says “I’m tired of waiting for action, are you?” Well many of us are tired of waiting for answers to these and other important questions before Josh earns our votes. Besides, for much of the last year he was apparently too busy to bother to attend town meetings. Commitment and leadership mean far more than words on a campaign sign. Josh must offer substance over random, undefined claims.

I’ll note that in last year’s commissioner campaign, Josh’s handlers emphasized and reemphasized that their candidate didn’t have a full time job and would give their “full time” to the commissioner job. That seems to have been conveniently forgotten with Josh having a full time job in Cambridge and Norm being retired and available daily.

For all of the reasons above, Oxford’s choice is clear. Norm Bell is ready, willing and able to continue his outstanding leadership for Oxford. Listening to Norm respond confidently to random questions with well informed specificity gives any resident confidence that he’s the man for Oxford in 2024.

This is what transparency looks like. Norm is a candidate for all of Oxford. He is in public for all to see and speak to without special invitations.
Norm accepted the League of Women Voters invitation without hesitation, willing to face his opponent in person so voters can compare and contrast both candidates at the same time. The League of Women’s Voters has a fine history providing unbiased access to candidates. His opponent declined.

Norm accepted this interview with the Talbot Spy, giving all voters unrestricted access and the opportunity to listen to Norm answer questions and hear his vision. The Talbot Spy, as stated by Dave Whelan, “for more than a decade, has been our special way to help inform the community about each candidate’s qualifications, background, and priorities”. His opponent declined.

A reasonable voter needs to ask why candidate Coder continues to decline these appearances? Public access to candidates is fundamental to Democracy and voting. Restricted access is simply a failure to understand this principle or an unwillingness to accept it as a fundament public right. Transparency is more than an overused word. It has meaning and candidate Coder demonstrates time and again to have forgotten that.

You do have a choice and it becomes clearer every day.

Norm is demonstrating what an open Democracy means, the right to meet candidates in open, public forums.