I&M Endorsements

I&M Editorial - Thursday, April 9th

Four people for one slot, yet this is the hardest race of all to call. We applaud T.J. Grant for stepping forward to serve, and advise him to seek appointment to one of the town boards in June to get some experience in town government before running another time.

Then we have three people with experience in this seat to consider, and not a clear choice among them.

The incumbent Michael Kopko has matured a great deal since he took office three years ago, and has done a good job as chairman this past year. However, we can’t forget his votes that have hurt island tradesmen and an apparent anti-business stance that was evident in liquor license applications as well. We also do not like his view that the planning director should report to the town administrator, and indirectly, to the Selectmen. We do not feel that is appropriate and is such a clear grab for power and control that it bothers us quite a bit.

Nantucket’s current economic decline demands a board that will work in the best interests of merchants and tradesmen alike and we don’t see that in candidate Kopko.

Whitey Willauer and Tim Soverino have both served as selectmen and both lost their last bids for this office. What has changed for each since then?

Willauer has always had Nantucket’s best interests at heart, and works diligently for the good of Nantucket. His legendary spreadsheet of projects to be addressed shows that he is no slouch when focusing on what needs to be done. We just wonder if he can narrow those choices down so something actually does get accomplished. Willauer is also a genuinely nice guy who treats his colleagues with respect, and that’s something in his favor.

Tim Soverino can’t get away from the fact that he was one of two Selectmen who negotiated the contract with Waste Options that has been viewed by many as largely not in the town’s best interest. Soverino says he’d like to get back on board to iron those details out. We’re not sure how that would work. Meanwhile, we like Tim’s connection to the island workforce and municipal employees, his institutional knowledge of Nantucket, his background in government and finance and the Board of Selectmen. He knows the fiscal bind the town is in and may very well be the person who can talk with union heads and get needed concessions from them on future contracts. The Tim Soverino we have seen this go-around is a different, humbler person who would work well with the current board, as would Whitey Willauer.