FM: Tell me a bit about yourself, your family, and your life here in Franklin? What is your Franklin story?
(GJ): My wife and I moved to Franklin in 1998 and immediately fell in love for the rural, country appeal that Franklin had to offer. Since then we are raising our 5 children on School St. in a beautiful Victorian Farmhouse situated downtown near the Town Commons, Library, Dean College, and Davis Thayer Elementary School.
I was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and raised in Watertown on the West End. My neighborhood was filled with children and families dedicated to their community and growing up I always dreamed of raising my own family in a similar type of loving community. I was lucky to find such similarities in the Town of Franklin. My own children have been fortunate to be educated in such a fine education and within such a safe, fun, and caring community.
Our life here in Franklin since 2008 has been fulfilling and adventurous!
FM: What do you see as your role’s biggest challenge and do you have any suggestions on how we can resolve it?
(GJ): The ongoing opioid epidemic that is sweeping across our communities. It affects everybody, it is personal, it affects families, it taxes our resources, our police and fire first responders. It steals the life and souls of those afflicted. Honestly I, like many people, am baffled on how to approach the problem next, but I feel that educating the community, through the SAFE Coalition or through other methods, will ultimately help stamp the problem out. Educate, educate, educate! Those that are not criminals, they are loved one, family, and innocent children, however, we need to start treat the drug dealers as criminals or as Governor Baker has suggested treat them as murderers if someone dies from the drug they sold them. After all, it’s poisoning innocent people.
The Town’s ongoing budgetary needs are also an ever changing challenge. They are constant, insistent and ever growing. As we try to maintain our community, we have to balance our expenses and our needs. What is the best course to take, everybody has their needs. My Marine father used to say, “I am here to give you what you need, not what you want”. My logical voting record reflects the overall needs of the town as a whole and never one specific area.
OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits), is a daunting obligation. For years, the Town did little to fund it and we will eventually have to make some hard decisions to properly fund it. The School Budget accounts for over half our budget, then comes the DPW, Police, and Fire. It takes experience, understanding, and logic in meeting and addressing our ever growing budget needs.
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?
(GJ): Having served now since 2009, I have learned the nuances, details, and regulations necessary to be an effective councilor. I served as Chairman of Economic Development from 2011 till 2014 and helped bring forth the town’s first and second Economic Summits. In the past two years I have served as the Communications liaison to the council and helped improve various aspects of communication on the town side to better engage its citizens. A unique part about me is that I bring to the council and all my decisions is that I hold no bias or a personal agenda.
(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?"
(GJ): For all the years that I have been active in local politics, I have been a huge supporter of the Cultural Council and Cultural District concept. I used to volunteer at the Historical Museum and I have supported the various events that the Cultural Council has proposed. I have always believed that art, music, and cultural are the glue that hold everything else together. Without them everything else seems to deteriorate and fall apart.
By having a local district that encompasses all the cultural features, the Library, THE BLACK BOX, the statue park, the restaurants, etc. it becomes another tool for us to attract people to Franklin. It helps to bring in more commerce and that is a win-win. That is what community is about. We need to get out of the mentality of “what benefits me?” and get into “what benefits us?” It may not gain us a great deal of funding but it puts us on the map, on the brochure, etc. It says Franklin really is a strong cultural community.
For additional information on Glenn’s campaign, check out his Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Glenn-Jones-Candidate-for-Franklin-Town-Council-1335811916548363/
For reference - prior year interviews
2015 - Town Council - Glenn Joneshttp://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/10/franklin-candidate-for-town-council_16.html
2011 - Glenn Jones answers 3 questions
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/11/glenn-jones-answers-3-questions.html
Noteworthy: This information is intended to help the Franklin voters when we all head to the ballot box on November 7. The interview candidates have had an opportunity to review the text before publishing to ensure the accuracy of our discussion.
Offer to Candidates 2017
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/08/offer-to-candidates-for-franklin.html
Offer to Candidates 2017
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/08/offer-to-candidates-for-franklin.html
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