I think being the mayor of Newburyport, Massachusetts is probably one of the most difficult jobs in town.

When I served on one of the mayor’s transition teams, I was dismayed to find out that (and these are by no means exact figures) there is about 80 thousand dollars for 8 million dollars worth of projects that all need to be done immediately, all equally important, everything from the schools to the fire department.

The mayor is all of a sudden the CEO of a multi million dollar conglomeration. Even if he or she were the most astute business person, it would take at least six months to a year to begin to get a handle on this very complicated situation. The mayor only has a two-year term. And for about the last 10 years we’ve had a turn over every mayoral election.

The mayor also works with the Newburyport City Council, 11 members, with strong personalities and conflicting political agendas.

To top it off, Newburyport is a very opinionated and feisty community (which is one of the reasons I like living here so much.) If the mayor comes up with a solution to one problem, a good portion of the community is very likely to have strong objections.

It is a wonder that anything can get done. Our new mayor is hoping that he can “manage” this great octopus of a conundrum. He is already meeting with strong opposition on the first issue he has addressed, which is how to solve the parking situation and what to do with Newburyport’s waterfront. This is probably has been one of Newburyport’s most controversial issues for over three decades.

No matter from which political ideology the job is approached, being the mayor of Newburyport, Massachusetts requires a combination of background and job skills that is almost impossible to find in anyone individual.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport