FM: Tell me a bit about yourself, your family, and your life here in Franklin? What is your Franklin story?
TM - My name is Tom Mercer and I am the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Fuller Box Company for the past 36 years. I am a lifelong resident of Franklin, graduate of Franklin Public Schools, married to my high school sweetheart, have 3 daughters (who all graduated from FPS) and 7 grandchildren.
FM: What experience or background will help you to serve in this role? What do you bring to the table that helps to set you apart from the others?
TM - I believe my 40+ years of professional and community volunteer experience contribute to setting me apart from others. I have successfully served the community, as a Town Councilor for the last 9 years, prior to that as a School Committee Member for 10 years - 8 of which I served as Chairman. Additionally, I serve(d) as Chairman of the Building Committees for the 4 largest and newest town structures – the Horace Mann/Oak Street/ECDC School Complex, the Franklin Senior Center, the state of the art Franklin High School and currently in progress, the Franklin Public Library.
FM: What do you see as your role’s biggest challenge and do you have any suggestions on how we can resolve it?
TM - I believe one of the biggest issues facing Franklin and an issue I continue to feel passionate about is maintaining a high level of services. Public Safety, Emergency Services and Education are ever evolving and of the utmost importance to any community.
FM: The Franklin Cultural Council submitted this question for Town Council candidates:
"As you know, Franklin has applied to the state for an official Cultural District designation in town. What do you feel is the role of arts and culture in Franklin, and what is your plan to advance that agenda?"
TM - Experience tells me that arts education and on-stage performing provides lasting life skills such as discipline, teamwork, communications and social skills that our students carry throughout their personal and professional lives.
The recent Stanford University study “Engaging the Arts and Creativity” states that involvement in the arts fosters creativity. Arts education is traditionally thought of as the formal process of developing skills and knowledge in an individual through schooling, instruction and training.
I support the mission of the cultural district to generate an increased awareness of the cultural facilities in our town.
These cultural districts help local arts, humanities, and science organizations improve the quality and range of their public programs so that more local families can benefit from them. They enhance the experience for visitors and thus attract more tourist dollars and tax revenue. And they attract artists, cultural organizations, and entrepreneurs of all kinds - enhancing property values and making communities more attractive.
If you want to follow up with Tom directly, you can reach him via email at tdmercer@verizon.net
Offer to Candidates 2017
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/08/offer-to-candidates-for-franklin.html
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Election Collection - 2017 |
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