Franklin Candidate Interview: Ernest S Carruthers, Jr

This interview with Ernest S Carruthers, Jr, candidate for Franklin School Committee in 2019, was collaborated on via email. We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions.

Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable the Franklin voters to make a good choice among the candidates for each position.

For the following FM presents the question. ESC represents Ernest’s response.

FM =  There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?

ESC = I have volunteered with a few community groups in Franklin. Mainly the VFW, the Veteran’s Council, and Cub Scout Pack 126. I volunteer with the VFW and serve in many different capacities (Post 3402 Quartermaster, District 5 Commander, 2018-2019 National Aide-de-Camp to VFW National Commander in Chief B.J. Lawrence) because I feel a responsibility to serve my fellow veterans. I missed the camaraderie I experienced in the Navy and have found my service to the VFW to be a very rewarding experience. To me the VFW is not a smoke-filled bar room, but an organization that exists to serve our veterans, active military, and the communities we call home.

Once a month, a group meets with Franklin’s Veteran Service Officer Dale Kurtz to collaborate and discuss common goals and activities geared towards the veterans of Franklin. This group is made up of citizens, veterans, representatives of the American Legion, Franklin Elks, and Franklin VFW and one of our largest accomplishments is the Veterans Memorial Walkway at the Town Common. I am extremely proud of the small role I played in making that beautiful walkway a fantastic addition to the War Memorials. Each one of those granite posts along the walkway honors a Franklin resident who gave his life in service to our country during WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq Wars. As a committee we didn’t always agree on everything we discussed, but we were always respectful of each other. And once a decision was made, we all made sure it was executed as we had decided. I would approach the school committee in a similar manner if I were fortunate enough to be elected.

I also volunteer my time by serving as the Cub Master for Pack 126 because I wanted to continue giving back to the community. I enjoy planning our pack meetings so that we can make them as fun for the kids as possible. My hope is that my kids see me volunteering time at these worthwhile organizations and see the importance of giving back. They don’t just hear how important it is to give to others, but they see it in action.

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

ESC = I get my news about Franklin in a variety of ways. I subscribe to the Franklin Matters newsletter that comes out each day, I scroll through the wicked local website, I check in on social media, and I talk with people who are active in the community. Many times these different methods all have the same source, but it’s important to get a different perspective.

FM =  The possibility of a change in school start times was a recent controversial topic taken up by the School Committee. Where do you stand on the issue of school start times in Franklin and what actions do you plan to take around this issue during the next term of the School Committee?

ESC = I agree that kids aren’t getting enough sleep. The surveys that have been conducted of students in Franklin and the surrounding communities show that the kids are reporting fewer hours of sleep. My concern is that shifting start times won’t allow them to get more sleep though, I’m concerned all we’ll be doing is pushing everything back an hour. School will start later so it will end later. Practices will now be later. After school jobs will be later. Homework will be done later. Bed time will be later. They’ll end up with about the same amount of sleep as they had before.

There are other issues that need to be considered as well including the impact this will have on working families. I’ve heard from many families that they’re concerned how this will impact childcare. Some families rely on their older kids to get the younger kids from school. If the high school is now getting out after the elementary school then this won’t be possible. That family now has an added cost of after school care. As any working family knows, child care is expensive. We need to take that into consideration when considering the impact of moving school start times.

FM =  While the current School Committee has attempted to reach the community through various forms of communication including coffee chats, email newsletters, attending events such as the farmers market, etc., they have been generally unsuccessful at increasing the engagement with important issues related to the schools. What actions will you take to increase citizen engagement with the School Committee?

ESC = It sounds like the current school committee is doing everything they can to increase community engagement and I think that’s wonderful.

There are so many different things going on in everyone’s life that makes engaging with their elected representatives difficult. Work, commuting to and from work, kids’ activities, time for self, housework, etc. It’s not always easy for a member of the community to find spare time to attend meetings or coffee chats or other events. But I don’t think that means those people aren’t engaged, it’s just that they only have so much time to give. Not everyone even has the time to read through a long newsletter.

I would suggest that at the top of the newsletter there be 4-5 bullet points highlighting the most important/critical items that someone should know. That allows them to see those most important items in a clear, concise way. Once they have a few minutes later in the day or over the weekend they can go back and read more about it. I think that now if you don’t have time to read the newsletter you’re probably not going back to it later in the day or week because you forgot all about it, but if you put out some highlights you might have a better chance of getting someone to come back to it.

The organizations I belong to, along with many other community organizations are also experiencing difficulties in getting people. It’s not because people don’t care, it’s because they have so many demands on their time and there’s only so many hours in the day. When I talk to eligible veterans about joining the VFW, they say they can’t make meetings because they have so many other things going on. Unfortunately, that’s true for a lot of the people in our community. People have a lot going on in their lives and everyone prioritizes what’s important to them. What’s important to them is different than what’s important to me and it’s different than what’s important to you. I don’t think that necessarily means they don’t care or aren’t engaged. They may be quietly paying attention and when they see something, they’re passionate about they’ll engage then and then return to what their focus is.

FM =  The Town Administrator has suggested that the School Committee investigate the possibility of closing Davis Thayer Elementary as a possible cost-saving mechanism for the town in these tight economic times. Where do you stand on this issue and what actions will you take to support your stance?

ESC = When I decided to run for the school committee, I was skeptical that this is the right decision. It’s very early in the process and I want to see what the enrollment projections are, what improvements does the current building need and are they critical, high, or nice to have. What are the costs associated with those improvements? What is the plan for the building if it’s no longer a school?

What I don’t want to see is Davis Thayer closed and the building put to other uses and then in 10 years a new elementary school is needed because the other 5 can’t handle the number of students. We need to make sure this study is done the right way. And if at the end of the day the School Committee decides that it is in the best interest of the students and the community for Davis Thayer to close then I will work hard to make sure we have as smooth a process as possible in accomplishing that task and redistricting the remaining 5 elementary schools.

FM =  Why should I vote for you?

ESC = If I am fortunate enough to earn your vote on Tuesday, November 5th you will be voting for someone who has experience working with people from many different backgrounds and understands the importance of working together as a team to accomplish a mission. I’m not going to agree with everyone I interact with as a member of the school committee, but I will treat everyone with the respect they deserve. I will listen to all who come before the committee and take their experiences and thoughts into consideration as I decide how I am going to vote on an issue. I’d welcome anyone who has any questions or comments for me to reach out to me at ernestcarruthersjr and that will be at Gmail. If you’re on Facebook you can also send me a message, I use my middle name on Facebook, so you’ll find me as Scott Carruthers on there.

Find the election and candidate information gathered in one place on the Election Collection https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html 

Franklin Candidate Interview: Ernest S Carruthers, Jr

Franklin Candidate Interview: Jennifer D'Angelo

This interview with Jennifer D'Angelo, candidate for Franklin School Committee in 2019, was collaborated on via email. We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions.

Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable the Franklin voters to make a good choice among the candidates for each position.

For the following FM presents the question. JD represents Jennifer’s response.

FM = There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?

JD = Growing up in town, I have had to the opportunity to volunteer with a variety of groups beginning in high school. Some of those opportunities including delivering food baskets to those in need during the holidays, teaching religious education at St. Mary’s Church and supporting a number of other local organizations through fundraising donations.

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

JD = I receive local, state and national news from a variety of outlets including local newspapers, online publications and of course, Franklin Matters. I tend to go to the source when I am interested in a specific topic. For example, when I was interested in learning more about the Student Opportunity Act that is currently making its way through state government, I read the 30 plus page document and the relative proposals and amendments associated with the bill. I find this provides me with information that is more accurate.

FM = The possibility of a change in school start times was a recent controversial topic taken up by the School Committee. Where do you stand on the issue of school start times in Franklin and what actions do you plan to take around this issue during the next term of the School Committee?

JD = Based on the information provided by the school committee, superintendent and community members through public forums held last year, I am not convinced that at this point the benefits outweigh the concerns expressed by parents, students and staff members all of whom would be directly impacted by the changes. Though there is some research-based evidence that lends to the sleep patterns of adolescent age students, I am concerned with the impact on our elementary and middle school age students where less research is available. In my opinion, there needs to be additional work around this topic if the committee were to entertain a potential school start time change in the future.

FM = While the current School Committee has attempted to reach the community through various forms of communication including coffee chats, email newsletters, attending events such as the farmers market, etc., they have been generally unsuccessful at increasing the engagement with important issues related to the schools. What actions will you take to increase citizen engagement with the School Committee?

JD = Level of engagement is different for each individual. Some community members are eager to attend coffee chats while others are content to receive email newsletters and chat with their peers about those topics important to them and their families. I feel it is the duty of the School Committee to create a wide range of opportunities for those who would like to engage in issues relative to not only the school community but also our town as a whole. I also think another piece of engagement is feeling your opinions are respected even when they differ. From community members I have had to the opportunity to speak with, this was one area they felt could have been better and something the next committee should build upon to increase citizen engagement.

FM = The Town Administrator has suggested that the School Committee investigate the possibility of closing Davis Thayer Elementary as a possible cost-saving mechanism for the town in these tight economic times. Where do you stand on this issue and what actions will you take to support your stance?

JD = The superintendent put forth a recommendation to conduct a closing study in an effort to provide a broad range of data including but not limited to projected enrollment numbers, utilization of school building space and student achievement. At this point, I do not support or reject the move, as there is not enough information to make an informed decision. I think it is important to explore all opportunities to improve educational outcomes for students. The study complied with other reports and data the district already has available will provide useful information about the impacts of considering a school closure not only for the students of Davis Thayer but also across the district.

FM = Why should I vote for you?

JD = Education is a collaborative effort among teachers, administrators, families, community members and elected officials. As an elected committee member, my major focus would be those issues and concerns that are a priority to the parents, students, and teachers I represent on the committee. It is important to be open to the opinions and views of all in order to make thoughtful decisions in the best interest of our students. As our schools face some challenging decisions in the coming years, I am confident I can be an impartial committee member who can make well-informed decisions based on the needs of our community. With over fifteen years of experience in public education, I am well versed in a variety of areas including school finances, instructional practices and state and federal regulations. In addition to my work experience, I also hold a Master of Business Administration from Suffolk University and Master of Education from Bridgewater State University. I feel my skill set would be invaluable as a member of the Franklin School Committee. 

Find the election and candidate information gathered in one place on the Election Collection
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html 

Franklin Candidate Interview: Jennifer D'Angelo

Franklin Candidate Interview: Mickey Whitmore

This interview with Mickey Whitmore, candidate for Franklin Town Council in 2019, was collaborated on via email. We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions.

Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable the Franklin voters to make a good choice among the candidates for each position.

For the following FM presents the question. MW represents Mickey’s response.

FM = There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?

MW = I have been serving on the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) since the last town election. I also volunteered as an assistant coach for my daughter's basketball team over the winter. I don't want to sound corny but I look forward to helping my neighbors with anything I can.

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

MW = I get my Franklin news from Franklin Matters / internet, and through friends.

FM =  For all those running for Town Council: We are in a constant water shortage. We are adding to our population and increasing out need for water. Given that all those who live in Franklin draw their water from the same aquifer, do you support a ban on using water for what I will call cosmetic use (lawn watering) during water shortages, even for those with a private well? If not, why not, considering that those with private wells are still dangerously affecting our water level for uses other than vanity? Or put simply: Do you support the private use of wells for lawn irrigation at times when the town's aquifer is dangerously low for use by the community for essential use in homes and fire prevention?

MW = We should be cautious with our resources. I would be interested in reading the town hydrologist's report to make the best decision about our water.

FM = What degree of development do you feel is appropriate for Franklin, and how would you balance the need for affordable housing, with the need to avoid congestion?

MW = I think we should be conservative with our development and staying slightly above the 10% affordable housing ratio so we don't get forced by the state with an unwanted 40B development.

FM = The Town Administrator has suggested that Franklin needs to pass an override measure. What actions will you take to support the passage of this measure?

MW = My personal opinion is that we should only do overrides if there are no other options. I would be interested to see how the voters of Franklin feel about the subject.

FM = Why should I vote for you?

MW = I love this town and feel that I would bring unbiased views to the town council. My goal is to keep this a great town and do what is right for the community as a whole.

Franklin Candidate Interview: Mickey Whitmore

Find the election and candidate information gathered in one place on the Election Collection
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html

FM #179 - Franklin Candidate Interview - Robert Dellorco

FM #179

This internet radio show or podcast is number 179 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This recording shares the candidate interview with current Town Councilor Robert Dellorco. Conducted in the studios of Franklin TV and Radio, this is a product of the collaboration with the local cable and radio operations.

We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions. Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable a good choice among the candidates for each position.

• There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?
• Where do you get your news about Franklin?
• For all those running for Town Council: We are in a constant water shortage. We are adding to our population and increasing out need for water. Given that all those who live in Franklin draw their water from the same aquifer, do you support a ban on using water for what I will call cosmetic use (lawn watering) during water shortages, even for those with a private well? If not, why not, considering that those with private wells are still dangerously affecting our water level for uses other than vanity? Or put simply: Do you support the private use of wells for lawn irrigation at times when the town's aquifer is dangerously low for use by the community for essential use in homes and fire prevention?
• What degree of development do you feel is appropriate for Franklin, and how would you balance the need for affordable housing, with the need to avoid congestion?
• The Town Administrator has suggested that Franklin needs to pass an override measure. What actions will you take to support the passage of this measure?
• Why should I vote for you?

Let’s listen in to the conversation on these questions with Robert. The interview itself runs approx 18 minutes.  https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HXbQxyzX



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This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can always use your help.

How can you help?

Overall:

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors.
• If you don't like this, please let me know.

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.
Thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

FM #179 - Franklin Candidate Interview - Robert Dellorco

Franklin Candidate Interview: Andrew Bissanti

I sat with Andrew Bissanti recently to discuss the following questions regarding his candidacy for the Franklin Town Council.

Some of you will recognize the questions as these were collected from the survey we shared in August. While many submitted questions were similar, I tried to select 6 for each Town Council and School Committee candidate that would help to present them to you all, my fellow voters.

As I have shared in prior years, the candidates do get to review the output before it is published but I retain final editing rights. Interviews with candidates are not an exercise I take lightly; it matters greatly to our community to get accurate information from our candidates to enable voters to make an informed decision to run our government.

For the following FM presents the question. AB represents Andrew's response.

FM = There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?

AB = I've been involved with the Franklin Downtown Partnership. I enjoy Fishing and Working our Monthly Pancake Breakfasts you see on Facebook at the Franklin Rod and Gun Club and I am a member of the Franklin Elks. My two grandchildren live with me now, and their activities have kept me busy too, it's like Yogi Berra said; "it's déjà vu all over again.”

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

AB = This is my first year back on Facebook, I do jump in on All About Franklin. I read
about six newspapers online Daily. I get some news info via word of mouth and friends
on the local boards and departments. I'm very involved in the town. I have a network of
friends we basically share a lot of what we know and hear. Communication is important.

FM = For all those running for Town Council: We are in a constant water shortage. We are adding to our population and increasing out need for water. Given that all those who live in Franklin draw their water from the same aquifer, do you support a ban on using water for what I will call cosmetic use (lawn watering) during water shortages, even for those with a private well? If not, why not, considering that those with private wells are still dangerously affecting our water level for uses other than vanity? Or put simply: Do you support the private use of wells for lawn irrigation at times when the town's aquifer is dangerously low for use by the community for essential use in homes and fire prevention?

AB = During the Harvest Festival, I was approached by a few residents. A lot of people
doing their homework on this, and they know that it's not a supply problem, they address it as a distribution problem. When I was on the council, I actually called in a hydrologists. I also called in a consultant that the town had actually worked with at one time. He explained the problem. We discussed his calculations, Brutus Cantoreggi and his staff met with us. He explained the problem is like a straw in a full glass. If you only have one straw in the glass only one person will get a drink of water. And that's basically the problem. Laurie (Ruszala) came to the meeting and she had suggested that the private wells should also adhere to the water ban. That was discussed at a public meeting. Although it was not well received initially, it probably could be further discussed until we get repairs further under way on our well heads. 

Candidly, although I have an irrigation system in my yard, off a private well, I don't use it. The system needs tremendous water pressure for all those heads to pop out. Sprinkling can be spotty, and my lawn stays green most of the season without it. I would have no problem for extending the water ban to the private wells.  However, I get that owners with private wells and expensive irrigation systems may want to water their lawns by right. I think, if I got back on the council, first thing I'd want to do is sit down with the DPW and just get the whole big picture story. You know what I mean? Because I'm just seeing bits and pieces. I just read the other day on Facebook; this lady was saying; "my water is red." What's going on?

FM = What degree of development do you feel is appropriate for Franklin, and how would you balance the need for affordable housing, with the need to avoid congestion?

AB = I hate to sound like a broken record, but my views on development changed
dramatically. And it's not a matter of a pro-growth or no growth. But balance, overall, I just think that we cannot sustain the typical one acre, three or four thousand square foot, four bedroom house in Franklin. The million dollar home does not sustain our tax rates. Fourteen dollars and sixty cent tax rate. So do the math. That's like fifteen thousand dollars in tax revenue. Guess what? That doesn't even put one child through school. Not to mention the other three bedrooms. Where are those kids going to go? I mean, we have to think about smart growth, smaller homes, less bedrooms, private roads, inclusionary affordability, and inclusionary open space.

This kind of building and zoning creates balance, if you want to build in Franklin, you've got to give back. Give us some open space, and give us some affordable housing. I'm not saying give away the funds, but make three or four of those houses affordable. So that our kids and my kids can move to Franklin. Give us some open space. Because guess what? You don't have to use every inch of that land. You're still going to make money. It's being done in other parts of the country. So inclusionary open space, inclusionary affordability. It's not the end of the world.

Can we talk about water, sewer moratoriums? I've talked to this with other councils. I think the last time we did try something like that, the town got sued. We may have to talk with the town attorney and see what we can do. Balance is the answer. Through good zoning. We are safely way over our 10% limit for 40Bs we are at like 12% so no worries there. We won't be seeing anymore forced on the town for some time.

FM = The Town Administrator has suggested that Franklin needs to pass an override measure. What actions will you take to support the passage of this measure?

AB = I think ultimately what's going to happen is the council is going to push the override to a ballot and let the people decide. That seems to be rhetoric from the existing council right now. I think it's only fair that way. I want to make a rational decision. How it's going to affect dollars, and the people of Franklin. Whatever the greater good is for Franklin. I don't want to see services to the town and infrastructure suffer .Careful study and examination and reporting will and is being conducted and we will have more facts soon.

FM = What do you say to the voter who asks: Why should I vote for you?

AB = Well, I spent six years on the Town Council. I bring experience. I possess a skill set and knowledge of zoning and development which is needed on any council. We all had a certain synergy on the council. The council would often turn to me on zoning questions. We would also work together on numerous other. We had a great synergy working together on various issues.

I liked my rapport with the Fire Department, and the DPW. The nature of my job is out there in the streets. I'm always talking to people. I have good communication skills with people. I try to get along with everybody. I had a good rapport with the administration. I would always be upstairs finding out what's going on. I do bring that line of communication to the council. I would also talk to my Council brothers and sisters all the time. We always enjoyed a good relationship with the School Committee. I look forward to working together with the dynamics we enjoyed. I headed up the Land Use Committee for the Master Plan.

I have many new visions for a new council going forward, including addressing open space, the water ban and continued vigilance of the opioid crisis. As a father and a grandfather, raising two grandchildren, I have a continued interest in our schools and their issues. I’d appreciate your vote on November 5.

Franklin Candidate Interview: Andrew Bissanti

Find the election and candidate information gathered in one place on the Election Collection
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html 
 

Franklin Candidate Interview: Elise Stokes

I sat with Elise Stokes recently to discuss the following questions regarding her candidacy for the Franklin School Committee.

Some of you will recognize the questions as these were collected from the survey we shared in August. While many submitted questions were similar, I tried to select 6 for each Town Council and School Committee candidate that would help to present them to you all, my fellow voters.

As I have shared in prior years, the candidates do get to review the output before it is published but I retain final editing rights. Interviews with candidates are not an exercise I take lightly; it matters greatly to our community to get accurate information from our candidates to enable voters to make an informed decision to run our government.

For the following FM presents the question. ES represents Elise's response.

FM = There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?

ES = Franklin has so many wonderful community groups! As a working parent, I balance my time commitments to ensure I’m able to give enough attention and energy to the things that matter most to me at this point in my life. For me right now, that’s education. My kids went to Franklin Children's School for pre-school, so I volunteered on the Board of Directors there for 3 years. I liked getting involved that way, getting to know the school and the families; we still keep in touch with many staff and families from their preschool days!

For the last two years, I have volunteered for the Davis Thayer School Council and that experience has been helpful in understanding the school improvement plan and how it's being implemented. We also worked together on the homework policy, family engagement, and “Portrait of a Graduate”. I was able to share a parent voice in our discussions. I also volunteer with the PCC; helping out at Field Day, at the dances, etc. Some other volunteer activities that I enjoy are reading books in the classroom, shelving library books, making copies.

Really all my volunteer work in Franklin has been school-based. I appreciate the schools and I choose to spend my (limited) free time helping out however I can. If elected to school committee, I’ll look forward to shifting my volunteer efforts to collaborate with fellow school committee members to support the district’s work of educating the next generation.

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

ES = Obviously, Franklin Matters is a main source of Franklin news. I flagged it to be the first thing in my newsfeed on Facebook which is really helpful. Also, I feel fortunate to have a lot of highly educated and informed folks who can help me get the pulse on things that are happening. Then I can dive deeper to get more information later. I also go to the School Committee web page, and that has all the news related to school committee.

FM = The possibility of a change in school start times was a recent controversial topic taken up by the School Committee. Where do you stand on the issue of school start times in Franklin and what actions do you plan to take around this issue during the next term of the School Committee?

ES = I give credit to everybody who was on the school start times committee, they did so much work and spent so much time (all volunteer hours) and that dedication is so important. However, there were so many things that made the school start times issue really polarizing within the community. The way the proposal was written, I wouldn't have supported it if I was on the School Committee at the time. If implemented as designed, there would have been negative effects on the elementary school students, childcare after school, middle school clubs, high school after school jobs and sports, availability of rink time or gymnastic time, and other factors.

I understand the research on sleep. I know how important it is for a variety of reasons, for everybody in general. I do a lot with sleep hygiene with my own kids, with myself, and with kids that I work with in schools. Bedtime routines are so important. Not just Monday through Thursday but every night, and every morning. It can be an uphill battle but there are a lot of strategies that can help. It would be beneficial to educate the parents and guardians about sleep hygiene, and educate the teens and kids themselves at all levels, to give them an understanding of the importance and strategies that help. I think this is an opportunity for family education outside of school: How can we make that work with help from community resources? I think there could be a lot of creative problem solving around involving different agencies, not just the school having to bear the brunt.

I'm a curious and thorough person and I use data to help guide decisions. I would like to be part of the start time conversations. It takes time to do research and reach out to the community, it takes a lot of time! I would like to help ensure that's happening in an efficient way for everybody.

FM = While the current School Committee has attempted to reach the community through various forms of communication including coffee chats, email newsletters, attending events such as the farmers market, etc., they have been generally unsuccessful at increasing the engagement with important issues related to the schools. What actions will you take to increase citizen engagement with the School Committee?

ES = The school start time issue in a way was a real blessing because it made people pay attention. Because it was so polarizing and it gave people a sense of urgency like: “Oh no! if I don't get involved, this could happen and really affect my finances, my kids, my job,” etc. That's sort of scary. You do need a sense of urgency; you have to have something that's going to drive motivation to change and become more involved.

I've done work with school districts that have high poverty rates and families dealing with trauma. I know this is not Franklin’s majority, but all families should be considered when we talk about engagement. A helpful incentive to engage families is to offer childcare and food. The schools that get higher parent engagement at meetings and events offer childcare and food. It meets the basic needs of families. They're offering childcare at some town meetings in Medfield now. I want to find out details; how is Medfield doing it? Can we not reinvent the wheel; can we have childcare, and food, and get more people to meetings? Franklin High School students need community service hours, could that be an option?

Also, in general, how do we make people feel like that they are welcomed and are not intimidated to speak? How do we make people feel like they're a part of this community? That they have an important voice? We can try different things; look at other towns and see what they're doing. We can learn from other situations and replicate successful components. I'm open to ideas. I like creative problem solving.

FM = The Town Administrator has suggested that the School Committee investigate the possibility of closing Davis Thayer Elementary as a possible cost-saving mechanism for the town in these tight economic times. Where do you stand on this issue and what actions will you take to support your stance?

ES = Both my kids go to Davis Thayer; I love Davis Thayer. I have friends and neighbors that work and volunteer there. I volunteer there. I think one of the things that strikes me the most is the positive school climate at Davis Thayer. For work, I go into districts in MetroWest and across the state, so I have a wide perspective to compare. When entering a school building, you can feel the school climate. Whether it's a really positive, nurturing, welcoming school climate or whether it's rigid, or whether the kids and teachers don't care. You can feel it. When you go into Davis Thayer you feel the school, it’s really powerful, warm, and nurturing. They really know those kids, love those kids, and do a great job teaching those kids. The recent MCAS shout-out was really important and validating to all of the Davis Thayer staff.

Personally, I would love to keep Davis Thayer open. But the decision is not up to me. It takes time, lots of voices, and lots of data, to get all the information for a big decision like that and I think it's worth taking the time to do it right. I don't have a personal agenda coming into the School Committee. Even if I got elected, I'd be one of seven. I’d work together with the other members to share perspectives and data and come to consensus.

There have been whisperings for decades about closing Davis Thayer, and there are lots of emotions surrounding that issue. It comes down to the numbers: budget, enrollment, population projections of who's moving into all the new construction being built everywhere in town. I think it's important to hire an outside consultant that specializes in this and really looks at these numbers. Then of course looking at the actual building structure and how much it would cost to bring it up to code. It's not ADA compliant and the safety features need to be updated. Can we make it work without just putting a Band-aid on it? It's a beautiful building, it has so much history and it has such a culture. It’s important to this district. It would be hard to close. But we have to look at the data.

I want to be part of that data process. I want to make sure that the question is clear, the measures are sensitive, the data collection is valid. I want to be sure everything is really tight. Once we go through that process, the resulting data will tell the story. We want to make sure the community is involved the whole time, that our methods are transparent and communicated to the stakeholders. People don't like change and people certainly don't like surprises. This is an emotional issue that will hopefully motivate people to engage in the process.

Elise’s Closing Statement

“I grew up on the Southcoast of Massachusetts. When I became a mom, I decided to move my family to Franklin because I know the value of a strong school district. I chose to buy a small home here, instead of a bigger house in another town, because education is my priority. My kids are now in 1st and 4th grades in the Franklin schools. We love this community and can’t imagine being anywhere else!

I’ve worked in the field of education for 20+ years. At the start of my career, I was an inclusion classroom teacher at the early childhood level. I’m also a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, a trainer for The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) Leading Educational Access Project, and I completed the DESE Special Education Administration Licensure. Before I had kids, I worked extra hours at UMASS Medical School, designing and implementing grant-funded parent education courses in Autism education and healthy habits for teens with Down Syndrome. At the graduate level, I taught courses in special education and ABA as an Adjunct Professor at Endicott College, and I was a fieldwork supervisor for BCBA candidates at Simmons College.

My current work as a consultant to school districts is built around collaborating with district administrators to assess and customize support to meet their needs (including consultation, coaching, program evaluation, professional development). I’m grateful to work with districts in MetroWest and beyond. My work emphasizes Social Emotional Learning and prioritizes authentic connections between staff and students: because without connection, no real learning can occur. Through my work, I’ve developed a keen understanding of how school districts operate. From the inside, I’ve seen how other districts manage educational issues and trends, and that perspective is invaluable to me as a parent, professional, and school committee candidate. That background knowledge, paired with the strong connections I’ve made with Franklin families, school staff, and community members, would certainly be an asset to the Franklin School Committee.

I have grown a wide social network here in Franklin, and I’m a good listener. I’m looking forward to working closely with community members and collaborating with the other members of the School Committee to help support the district to achieve its Mission to educate our next generation.

I’m STOKED to run for School Committee!”

* Note: for those counting, yes there are only 5 questions for Elise. The 6th, which I forgot to include in the conversation, is actually covered with her closing statement so we got to the same end.

Franklin Candidate Interview: Elise Stokes

FM #177 - Franklin Candidate Interview - Ted Cormier-Ledger

FM #177

This internet radio show or podcast is number 177 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This recording shares the candidate interview with Town Council candidate Ted Cormier-Ledger. Conducted in the studios of Franklin TV and Radio, this is a product of the collaboration with the local cable and radio operations.

We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions. Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable a good choice among the candidates for each position.

• There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?
• Where do you get your news about Franklin?
• For all those running for Town Council: We are in a constant water shortage. We are adding to our population and increasing out need for water. Given that all those who live in Franklin draw their water from the same aquifer, do you support a ban on using water for what I will call cosmetic use (lawn watering) during water shortages, even for those with a private well? If not, why not, considering that those with private wells are still dangerously affecting our water level for uses other than vanity? Or put simply: Do you support the private use of wells for lawn irrigation at times when the town's aquifer is dangerously low for use by the community for essential use in homes and fire prevention?
• What degree of development do you feel is appropriate for Franklin, and how would you balance the need for affordable housing, with the need to avoid congestion?
• The Town Administrator has suggested that Franklin needs to pass an override measure. What actions will you take to support the passage of this measure?
• Why should I vote for you?

Let’s listen in to the conversation on these questions with Ted. Ted's sons Charley and Jayden contribute to the conversation at the end. The interview recording runs approx 17 minutes.





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This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can always use your help.

How can you help?

Overall:

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors.
• If you don't like this, please let me know.

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.
I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters on iTunes

Franklin Candidate Interview: Tom Mercer

This interview with Tom Mercer, candidate for Franklin Town Council in 2019, was collaborated on via email. We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions.

Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable the Franklin voters to make a good choice among the candidates for each position.

For the following FM presents the question. TM represents Tom’s response.

FM = There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?

TM = I am a lifelong resident of Franklin and I have successfully served you, the residents of Franklin, as a Town Councilor for the last 8 years, and the last year as Chairman. Previously, as a School Committee Member for 10 years - 8 of which I served as Chairman. I was Chairman of the Building Committees for 3 of our largest and newest town structures – the Horace Mann/Oak Street/ECDC School Complex, the Franklin Senior Center, and most recently the new state of the art Franklin High School. I served as a member of the Dean Community Council. I have served on the Franklin Country Club Board of Directors for over 20 Years. I have also served on the Franklin Performing Arts Company Board of Directors for over 30 years.

FM = Where do you get your news about Franklin?

TM = Franklin Matters and the Country Gazette along with the news feeds from the internet.

FM = For all those running for Town Council: We are in a constant water shortage. We are adding to our population and increasing out need for water. Given that all those who live in Franklin draw their water from the same aquifer, do you support a ban on using water for what I will call cosmetic use (lawn watering) during water shortages, even for those with a private well? If not, why not, considering that those with private wells are still dangerously affecting our water level for uses other than vanity? Or put simply: Do you support the private use of wells for lawn irrigation at times when the town's aquifer is dangerously low for use by the community for essential use in homes and fire prevention?

TM = This is not the exact way to phrase the problem or solution. the private well issue question usually comes black and white, and the debate can be divisive and counterproductive. Also, private well owners are not the single source of a town water problem or shortage.

The fact is we have very good water quality in Franklin and a safe quantity of it. The best way to address water protection is education and best practices at the individual property owner level and good infrastructure investments. 

The town is investing almost $11 million in the reconstruction of wells 3 and 6 off Grove Street to allow us more capacity and better quality. One of the wells right now is shut down due to high iron and manganese levels. But we’ll have a new facility which will help the system. We also just began a new 5-year water main pipe replacement schedule. Consistent infrastructure investments are actually a more effective way to conserve and maintain good water systems.

I’m not clear where this “acquifer is low” claim comes from. Not saying it’s not true, but it really doesn’t matter because the Town is in very good standing with the state DEP with our Water Management Act permit, which regulates town wide water use. It’s actually our Permit with the state that mandates we have mandatory water conservation days, but this is not uncommon. The state of Massachusetts and cities and towns are relatively good at water protection.

The Town DPW and Water Department have won state awards for water conservation. Our system is in good shape right now. Future challenges will be continued innovations and maintenance of the system, as well as stormwater.

FM = What degree of development do you feel is appropriate for Franklin, and how would you balance the need for affordable housing, with the need to avoid congestion?

TM = Two years ago the town reached its 10% goal of 10% affordable housing stock by state laws. It allows us to have full control over our own zoning without a 40B housing project being approved by the state and overriding our local zoning. There are few higher priorities than to maintain that 10% status. And that will always be the housing goal, as Chapter 40B has been in state law for fifty years.

the Town Council will have many future debates on zoning, and how the town may want to address this recent growth spurt. It’s a difficult balance, and we will need citizens to participate in these coming years on the issue of development and growth. What do people in this community want to see in the future?

The Town is just over halfway through its ten-year Master Plan process. The Town Council will have an update on that sometime in 2020, as the Town prepares to start that process again in the not too distant future.

The Town Council should approve large cash reserves this year for open space protection, $900,000 in October 2019 which will bring the fund to $2.1 million.

FM = The Town Administrator has suggested that Franklin needs to pass an override measure. What actions will you take to support the passage of this measure?

TM = First, we’ll need to monitor the towns’ budget situation closely throughout the year as the Town Administrator and Superintendent build their budgets. I’d expect that we would have a reasonable number in late January. My guess is the next Town Council and School Committee will have to discuss an override, how much and for what and what the community strategy may be.

Franklin Candidate Interview: Tom Mercer

At this point, I support and hope a discussion will occur next year on discussing with taxpayers a revenue increase. As the Town Administrator has stated numerous times, the cost of doing business is far exceeding our ability to raise revenue. Construction costs, personnel costs and Heath care costs are increasing at a rate that has put stress on the system relative to service demand. It’s a partial symptom of a good economy for sure. And it’s something we need to really engage a wider audience in the community on. Everyone will need to be involved. As ultimately any override is a decision made by the Community as a whole not the Town Council. It is the Town Council’s job to provide the community with all the facts so they can make an informed decision.

FM = Why should I vote for you?

TM = I believe that I have the knowledge to ensure fair and honest representation for the residents and businesses of Franklin. I will work to keep and improve services and spend our tax dollars wisely. Having been previously elected and having served in local government, I am aware of the personal demands and political pressures - but I continue to look forward to those challenges.

I will continue to work hard to improve the communication between town boards both elected and appointed. Franklin deserves leadership dedicated to open government, safe schools, and a healthy local economy. I have built a solid reputation as a leader, facilitating cooperative, and constructive discussions that have led to success. I am proud of my track record, and I ask for your vote on November 5th.


If you have questions to follow up with Tom, you can find his contact information on the Town of Franklin page  https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council

FM #173

This internet radio show or podcast is number 173 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This recording shares the candidate interview with current Town Councilor Melanie Hamblen. Conducted in the studios of Franklin TV and Radio, this is a product of the collaboration with the local cable and radio operations.

We reviewed the following questions, some of them were ‘crowd sourced.’ Some of you may remember the call for input solicited in August 2019 for this election. Thank you for your contributions. 

Hopefully, the information provided here, and in the other interviews, will enable a good choice among the candidates for each position.

• There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?
• Where do you get your news about Franklin?
• For all those running for Town Council: We are in a constant water shortage. We are adding to our population and increasing out need for water. Given that all those who live in Franklin draw their water from the same aquifer, do you support a ban on using water for what I will call cosmetic use (lawn watering) during water shortages, even for those with a private well? If not, why not, considering that those with private wells are still dangerously affecting our water level for uses other than vanity? Or put simply: Do you support the private use of wells for lawn irrigation at times when the town's aquifer is dangerously low for use by the community for essential use in homes and fire prevention?
• What degree of development do you feel is appropriate for Franklin, and how would you balance the need for affordable housing, with the need to avoid congestion?
• The Town Administrator has suggested that Franklin needs to pass an override measure. What actions will you take to support the passage of this measure?
• Why should I vote for you?

Let’s listen in to the conversation on these questions with Melanie. The recording runs approx 24 minutes.





-------------

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can always use your help.

How can you help?

Overall:

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors.
• If you don't like this, please let me know.

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.
Thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes = search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters on iTunes