Honesty, Integrity, Transparency

Purpose & Objectives

​

1. The Independent Party has been established in Watertown-Oakville to provide all residents an alternative political philosophy dedicated to ensuring open, honest, and transparent government.
    

2. The Independent Party is open to all electors. We welcome and encourage participation by any and all residents who support the principles of honesty, integrity, and transparency in government.
    

3. The Independent Party will ensure that its regular meetings and conferences will be conducted openly. Registered members and nonmembers alike are encouraged to attend these meetings.
    

4. The Independent Party invites and solicits all residents to become active members and to participate in returning Watertown-Oakville to its position of independence, good government, and an outstanding quality of life for its residents.
    

5. The Independent Party is committed to uniting and promoting cooperation amongst the neighborhoods of the town.  This objective can be accomplished by recruiting and nominating well qualified residents to run for public office and to be appointed to boards and commissions.

​

Why was the Independent Party Formed?

​

The Independent Party was formed in 2009 by Democrats, Republicans, and Unaffiliated voters who were dissatisfied with the performance of the 2 political parties. Watertown government had changed:

​

• Before 2009, when the Council voted on an issue, the public could hear their discussion of the pros and cons.  Since then these discussions took place in private Town Committee* meetings. Decisions are made there, and then the Town Council often votes in one block.
   

• Years earlier, when the public raised concerns to the Town Council, they were addressed immediately at that meeting. If an issue required research, it was assigned to an individual who would report back to the concerned citizen. Now, citizen concerns are tolerated, not addressed.
   

• Numerous conflicts of interest and problems with the Planning and Zoning Commission were brought to the Town Council but were ignored.  Zoning laws are supposed to have broad applicability so that people know what they can and can’t do with their property.  Spot zoning occurs when zoning regulations are changed to benefit (or punish) a select few property owners, and it is illegal. Because of P&Z’s random zoning decisions, many developers did not consider Watertown a potential location for business.   

 

We wanted our town government to be based on honesty, integrity, and transparency. We felt the only way to get that was to do it ourselves.  That could be accomplished if we formed a political party and ran for Town Council. 

​

Our Beliefs

The Independent Party of Watertown-Oakville believes that:

​

• Elected and appointed officials should act in the best interests of the Town and taxpayers, free of partisan direction and special interests.
   

• Elected and appointed officials’ actions should be transparent, fiscally sound, and fair.
   

• The opportunity to run for office and be appointed to boards and commissions should be opened up to all voters, not just Republicans and Democrats.

 

​

*Town Committees are made up of voters registered with their party who make decisions for their party.  Members of Town Committees are not elected by the voters, but elected by a small group of registered party members. Town Committees select the candidates who will run for office and serve on Boards and Commissions. Too often, they tell their appointees how to vote on issues.