A Bad Girl's Guide to Town Government | Ep. 4: New Year, New Beginnings?

In this episode, Julie and Kate dive into the theme of "New Beginnings" for 2026, tackling the complexities of volunteerism, public trust, and the importance of asking "brilliant questions" in local government.Episode Highlights:The Upbeat Corner: A shout-out to the Ashland DPW. Julie shares her firsthand experience riding along in a snowplow during a blizzard and discusses the "priceless" nature of the town’s workforce and volunteers [00:46].The State of Volunteerism: The hosts discuss the shift from volunteer-led committees to paid staff positions. They explore the impact this has on town transparency and whether certain roles, like the Town Planner and Open Space planning, should return to citizen-led oversight [06:17].Asking the Tough Questions: Julie and Kate address the "resistance" to public scrutiny during tri-board and override meetings. They advocate for a "listening tour" and more documentation to ensure taxpayers understand where their money is going [09:27].The Case for a Personnel Board: A look at how other towns use volunteer personnel boards to set salary steps and guardrails, and why Ashland’s current "arbitrary" system for non-union raises needs more transparency [12:40].Avoiding "Groupthink": A deep dive into why harmony isn't always healthy for democracy. The hosts discuss the psychological trap of prioritizing agreement over critical thinking and how it may be affecting recent financial decisions in town [22:36].Earning Public Trust: Applying The Four Agreements to public service. Julie reflects on the importance of being "impeccable with your word," specifically regarding past promises made about the funding of the Public Safety Building [25:44].Join the Conversation: Have a topic you want discussed or want to guest on the show? Email the "Bad Girls" at [email protected] on WACA-TV: https://youtu.be/Wh_8ctC2xbw