Are you concerned about the state of discourse in the town and that some residents are being 'drowned out' by others? If not, why not? If so, what can the Select Board do to decrease the perceived rancor?
What does it mean to be concerned about the state of discourse? I have yet to see much of any discourse, so that's concerning. There has been one event that I've attended wherein people met locally that were not necessarily aligned, if you had decided to only use Facebook as a tool of engagement you would've thought those that attended were bitter rivals. Yet, it was an event held in a park where differences were welcomed to be hashed out.
Facebook is a terrible metric in getting a pulse on the town, yet under the pandemic strains it is the most available resource. I met or attempted to meet two other candidates that have since dropped out, I have met with both the three-year candidates. Leaders make link-ups, they face the harder conversations in person, and they hash it out. Leaders are found among the electorate; it took initiative to set up the park event, and those that set it up aren't currently running for office. So if you ask me, members of the Select Board could do a better job offering presence, yet the onus isn't just on them nor can it be accomplished by just them to change the state of discourse. Those that are reiterating this message of chaos aren't trying to solve it, they're trying to make it their campaign strategy and that's unbecoming.
Facebook is a terrible metric in getting a pulse on the town, yet under the pandemic strains it is the most available resource. I met or attempted to meet two other candidates that have since dropped out, I have met with both the three-year candidates. Leaders make link-ups, they face the harder conversations in person, and they hash it out. Leaders are found among the electorate; it took initiative to set up the park event, and those that set it up aren't currently running for office. So if you ask me, members of the Select Board could do a better job offering presence, yet the onus isn't just on them nor can it be accomplished by just them to change the state of discourse. Those that are reiterating this message of chaos aren't trying to solve it, they're trying to make it their campaign strategy and that's unbecoming.
One of the major responsibilities of the Select Board in the next six months will be hiring a new town manager. What is the No. 1 qualification you're looking for in the next town manager?
It would be an injustice to reduce my concerns to a singular qualification. Does this candidate fit within the framework of the charter? How do they interpret their role as written? Do they understand that the position is an echelon that exists within the framework of systemic biases? If so, how do they intend to hold themselves personally accountable and alleviate potential concerns by being proactively transparent? Do they have the needed skill set to hire the correct police chief for our town? That question itself has many other layers, their first concerns should be what is best for the end-users? Whether they be the townsfolk interacting with police officers, or police officers getting the best support systems they need to succeed?
Where does this candidate for town manager see potential success strategies in overcoming and validating concerns for systemic classism? I would also want to see a set of core values, such as integrity and personal courage, this town could use some inspiration. With the extent of my experience, this is where I believe Williamstown as a whole would honestly benefit the most with me on the Select Board, and if you would like to hear more challenge yourself or others to reach out to me.
Where does this candidate for town manager see potential success strategies in overcoming and validating concerns for systemic classism? I would also want to see a set of core values, such as integrity and personal courage, this town could use some inspiration. With the extent of my experience, this is where I believe Williamstown as a whole would honestly benefit the most with me on the Select Board, and if you would like to hear more challenge yourself or others to reach out to me.
Can you identify a specific action that the current Select Board took or did not take in the last year with which you disagreed? How would you have acted differently?
Yes, when the news of the MCAD complaint was openly being discussed. There were members of the Select Board that many put their good faith in, and instead of being a reassuring presence to concerned citizens, they internalized the pressure and projected a presence of weakness that made it about them. Conveying things like, "this isn't what I signed up for," except it is what you signed up for, you were elected to manage chaos and not just lead Williamstown when it is easy. When we met at the annual town meeting, we were told we would talk about the raised issue of the complaint at the end of the meeting; we waited, hours, and at the end, they sent everyone home and never had that discussion; if the town government is going to openly give their word about something, and then be dismissive to everyone that endured staying that late in the cold to have that conversation, they should've acknowledged the open disrespect.
That event was my first impression of how unequipped the town government was at being a needed presence. Then, they would come on Zoom over the weeks and tell you "they could do nothing, their hands were tied," this only reinforced any divides that were held below the surface over the years. Instead, they should've said been a presence that would've offered unity, there didn't exist any legal concerns preventing that.
That event was my first impression of how unequipped the town government was at being a needed presence. Then, they would come on Zoom over the weeks and tell you "they could do nothing, their hands were tied," this only reinforced any divides that were held below the surface over the years. Instead, they should've said been a presence that would've offered unity, there didn't exist any legal concerns preventing that.
Has there been a specific town issue in the last few years about which you have changed your mind after talking with other residents (your would-be constituents)? How did your thinking change?
I haven't lived in the town that long, yet for those members that have been here for longer, please feel free to meet me at any of my in-person events and I'd love to discuss further. To answer about whether I can evolve my positions on any particular issue, sure, anyone that has all the answers is a rare unicorn. I make assumptions, voice those assumptions aloud, then hope that new information or counter-arguments are made; if there doesn't exist any balance to my initial positions, the scientific process doesn't really work. I don't tie my ego to whether I have the correct initial answers, I tie my success as to whether the results yield beneficial results the means to get there are non-harmful to others. As the tensions tend to rise, the value of disagreement has been discarded in favor of growing unhelpful factionalism, which is a prominent reason why I am a non-partisan person, because it gives me a chance to evolve without compromising my values.
Do you feel the May 11 election is a referendum on the town's Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Equity Committee? And, either way, do you support its continued efforts?
I wouldn't presume to know what motivations other Select Board candidates hold, yet for me, DIRE Committee would persist. I would hope to evolve their scope so the community as a whole can better understand the depth of encroaching economic concerns. Yes, the MCAD complaint was filed, yet everyone has also been impacted by the pandemic. I think it was taken for granted that much of Williamstown's population is insulated from economic struggles, yet that isn't inclusive of our entire community. I would ask DIRE to look at neighboring towns and compare what's available, what's accessible for their communities, and how do we stack up? I would ask them to look into a relatively recent timeframe over the past couple of decades of how people have been priced out of living here, not just limited to the sense of maintaining property ownership or rent. DIRE is a value add, I am proud to see such a diverse committee having a presence in a town I live in.
What about your professional life and experience makes you uniquely qualified to sit on the Select Board?
I have graduated from rigorous professional development schools and various leadership programs. I have applied that knowledge to intense situations abroad, and again in the States when I was a branch chief in charge of two schools, a senior position responsible for a third of the US Army ground forces survivability, training programs, and leadership tactics. Like many reading this, I was concerned that my Army days would not positively benefit myself or others around me, this concern was disproven when I was quickly made a department manager at Interprint in Pittsfield.
While overseas, I worked on projects that aided in legitimizing local governments, gave minority factions a voice, helped navigate their own concepts of an election process without undermining their power structure, trained their police force, aided their hospitals, and brought power to their cities. I have managed personalities throughout all walks of life, I have helped them cope in times of extreme grief and suffering, I have aided in offering them someone to ground themselves with even when they felt powerless and lost. If times here are as truly bad as some feel, then permit yourselves a moment to ask yourselves the harder questions, a silent inward integrity check, "would Williamstown benefit from an outside and neutral perspective offering a fresh start for all?" Yes.
While overseas, I worked on projects that aided in legitimizing local governments, gave minority factions a voice, helped navigate their own concepts of an election process without undermining their power structure, trained their police force, aided their hospitals, and brought power to their cities. I have managed personalities throughout all walks of life, I have helped them cope in times of extreme grief and suffering, I have aided in offering them someone to ground themselves with even when they felt powerless and lost. If times here are as truly bad as some feel, then permit yourselves a moment to ask yourselves the harder questions, a silent inward integrity check, "would Williamstown benefit from an outside and neutral perspective offering a fresh start for all?" Yes.
One of you will not be elected on May 11. If you are not elected, how do you see yourself serving town government, if at all?
Regardless of the outcome of the election, I will continue augmenting our town as a nonpartisan voice among the Electorate. If I feel there is another Committee that might benefit from my expertise such as the work we've been doing with the Interim Police Chief Search Committee I would put myself out there. Currently I am considering an opportunity I was made aware of last week with the Fire Department. Yet, to be more direct, there are specific expectations and a limited amount of time to accomplish it all over the next year, the town is going to need someone dedicated, has a plan, and is already an experienced expert in getting these types of results. I understand the town might be hesitant to take the word of a newcomer, that only motivates me all the more to yield results that honor the trust if it is granted. Were the expectations facing us different, or were the challenges in meeting that demand less, I might not be a good fit. I am congenial with those that are stressed in times of chaos, and I deliver in times of volatility, our Community, our Police, and our Select Board would benefit by my presence.
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Are you concerned about the state of discourse in the town and that some residents are being 'drowned out' by others? If not, why not? If so, what can the Select Board do to decrease the perceived rancor?
Absolutely. Many residents have expressed to me that they have been shouted down, demeaned, and intimidated into not speaking, fearing being labeled as a bad person. I, too, have been shouted down by a town committee member using their position as an indicator of some sort of superiority. Additionally, business owners have reached out to me and shared their fear of speaking out on town issues due to bad press, or even boycotts of their business.
Electing someone to the Select Board who represents and understands these citizens and communities of Williamstown, and who lives in their neighborhood and listens well, will increase trust in our town government, and decrease the overall negative tone. The temperature can also be turned down by bringing proper order to all town committee and Select Board meetings. These gatherings are "meetings," not "hearings." Relevant and civil public comment should be encouraged, but it must be limited to an agreed upon time limit, it must be civil, and the chairs of these boards and committees must maintain control. By restoring order and civility in a neutral way, the Select Board and other committees will regain the respect that this town so badly needs.
Electing someone to the Select Board who represents and understands these citizens and communities of Williamstown, and who lives in their neighborhood and listens well, will increase trust in our town government, and decrease the overall negative tone. The temperature can also be turned down by bringing proper order to all town committee and Select Board meetings. These gatherings are "meetings," not "hearings." Relevant and civil public comment should be encouraged, but it must be limited to an agreed upon time limit, it must be civil, and the chairs of these boards and committees must maintain control. By restoring order and civility in a neutral way, the Select Board and other committees will regain the respect that this town so badly needs.
One of the major responsibilities of the Select Board in the next six months will be hiring a new town manager. What is the No. 1 qualification you're looking for in the next town manager?
There are many qualities that we need in a town manager, including competence; honesty; willingness to work with the Select Board and keep it informed; ability to manage and interact with employees in a proactive way; and the empathy to understand and communicate with town residents. But, the most important qualification right now is a high level of financial competency. Jason Hoch did a superior job of managing our finances in both good times and bad. At some point in the future, we are likely going to see a financial downturn, and we need a town manager who can navigate those waters proficiently and skillfully so that we do not see taxes increase nor services decrease. This will be no easy task, but it is a task that must be met successfully.
Can you identify a specific action that the current Select Board took or did not take in the last year with which you disagreed? How would you have acted differently?
There are a few:
When the issues with the police department first arose, the Select Board held over 26 hours of closed session meetings with the town's defense attorneys. During those exhaustive meetings, the members learned the facts with respect to the issues raised in the lawsuit, but were constrained from discussing those facts publicly. When the lawsuit was dismissed, the Select Board could and should have immediately disclosed what they had learned, as long as they were not prevented from doing so legally or contractually. While I understand that some town members demanded an independent investigation (at a five-figure price tag), if our leaders on the Select Board made the disclosures themselves, no "independent" investigator would have been needed and trust in the Select Board would have been enhanced. I would have made those disclosures.
The Select Board also failed to control its meetings by allowing a loud and vocal minority to speak in a coordinated way, leveling accusations at both board members and town employees. Even though comments eventually were limited to three minutes, individual speakers were allowed to speak for over 10 minutes, some defaming private citizens, town employees, and board members alike. It is the duty of the chair of the board to enforce the rules and maintain civility in these meetings. If the chair fails to act, it is up to the other members to step up and lead. That didn't happen, and the town became progressively more divided because of the lack of order in board meetings. I would have stepped up during those meetings and brought the proper motions to the chair to insist that the time limitations be enforced and that civility be enforced.
When the issues with the police department first arose, the Select Board held over 26 hours of closed session meetings with the town's defense attorneys. During those exhaustive meetings, the members learned the facts with respect to the issues raised in the lawsuit, but were constrained from discussing those facts publicly. When the lawsuit was dismissed, the Select Board could and should have immediately disclosed what they had learned, as long as they were not prevented from doing so legally or contractually. While I understand that some town members demanded an independent investigation (at a five-figure price tag), if our leaders on the Select Board made the disclosures themselves, no "independent" investigator would have been needed and trust in the Select Board would have been enhanced. I would have made those disclosures.
The Select Board also failed to control its meetings by allowing a loud and vocal minority to speak in a coordinated way, leveling accusations at both board members and town employees. Even though comments eventually were limited to three minutes, individual speakers were allowed to speak for over 10 minutes, some defaming private citizens, town employees, and board members alike. It is the duty of the chair of the board to enforce the rules and maintain civility in these meetings. If the chair fails to act, it is up to the other members to step up and lead. That didn't happen, and the town became progressively more divided because of the lack of order in board meetings. I would have stepped up during those meetings and brought the proper motions to the chair to insist that the time limitations be enforced and that civility be enforced.
Has there been a specific town issue in the last few years about which you have changed your mind after talking with other residents (your would-be constituents)? How did your thinking change?
When the McGowan complaint and lawsuit first came to light, I felt that the fact that it had not been disclosed to the Select Board by the town manager was an issue that might need to be dealt with by termination of employment, and I said so publicly. But, like most issues, I kept an open mind, did research, and listened to multiple voices and opinions. Because of that work, three things emerged. First, the town manager had done a stellar job with respect to town finances during his tenure, and I knew that would be a critical skill that would be extremely difficult to replace.
I also came to learn that Jason Hoch is a good and decent man who intensely cares about the town and its residents. I learned that he had actually independently conceived and implemented many policies favored by his most vocal opponents, such as hiring a social worker. It was clear that he was being unfairly criticized by some of our most vocal citizens.
Most importantly, I came to understand that the Select Board had not diligently exercised its supervisory obligations, and that some of the blame needed to be placed there as well. So, I changed my mind and decided that the town manager should stay, but that procedures needed to be put in place to prevent this from happening again, and I disclosed this publicly. I also picked up the phone and told Jason that I had further reflected, had changed my mind, and apologized for my initial remarks.
I also came to learn that Jason Hoch is a good and decent man who intensely cares about the town and its residents. I learned that he had actually independently conceived and implemented many policies favored by his most vocal opponents, such as hiring a social worker. It was clear that he was being unfairly criticized by some of our most vocal citizens.
Most importantly, I came to understand that the Select Board had not diligently exercised its supervisory obligations, and that some of the blame needed to be placed there as well. So, I changed my mind and decided that the town manager should stay, but that procedures needed to be put in place to prevent this from happening again, and I disclosed this publicly. I also picked up the phone and told Jason that I had further reflected, had changed my mind, and apologized for my initial remarks.
Do you feel the May 11 election is a referendum on the town's Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Equity Committee? And, either way, do you support its continued efforts?
It was my hope that the election would not become a referendum on DIRE. I strongly support the concept of DIRE and discussions regarding diversity, race, and inclusion in this town. DIRE was created to bring us together, not drive us apart. However, what was supposed to be a diverse committee that created a forum for open and safe discussions for all, became a committee that prioritized the groups it would listen to, and that showed little to no empathy for voices that did not fit that narrative. A committee that was designed to unify decided, without authorization, that it is the de facto Inspector General for Williamstown, which was never intended.
Rather than being a welcoming place for citizens to speak, the records reveal that a select few repeatedly spoke at meetings, and that differing views were not given equal dignity. Vocal committee members expressed open hostility and made citizens feel uncomfortable and shouted down. Furthermore, the committee chair did nothing to change that hostility, nor did any other members show leadership by stepping up to turn down the temperature.
I fully support civil rights advocates in their pursuit of change through protest and activism, but when someone accepts a position on a town committee, they need to represent the entire town, and they should not pick and choose what they publicly disclose regarding relevant topics based upon partisan agendas. There is no place in town government for demeaning public employees, setting individual agendas, or causing residents to feel that they cannot safely share their thoughts and opinions.
Rather than being a welcoming place for citizens to speak, the records reveal that a select few repeatedly spoke at meetings, and that differing views were not given equal dignity. Vocal committee members expressed open hostility and made citizens feel uncomfortable and shouted down. Furthermore, the committee chair did nothing to change that hostility, nor did any other members show leadership by stepping up to turn down the temperature.
I fully support civil rights advocates in their pursuit of change through protest and activism, but when someone accepts a position on a town committee, they need to represent the entire town, and they should not pick and choose what they publicly disclose regarding relevant topics based upon partisan agendas. There is no place in town government for demeaning public employees, setting individual agendas, or causing residents to feel that they cannot safely share their thoughts and opinions.
What about your professional life and experience makes you uniquely qualified to sit on the Select Board?
The major issue in Williamstown today centers on police and policing. I spent 27 years as a civil rights trial lawyer representing people who had been abused by police. I learned police and policing from both the side of the community and the side of the officers and their departments. I know good policing when I see it, and I know bad policing when I see it. I also know what good police administration looks like. I understand the vocabulary and nuance of policing. My experience tells me that our police officers are doing a good job in the field, and that we are safe, but that we have serious issues in police administration that must be addressed.
In the next few years, we need a person in town government who has experience in police and policing; who understands policing and administration; and who can assist the town in bringing its police department into the 21st century. I am the only person running for Select Board who has the experience to be able to formulate relevant questions and differentiate canned interview answers from sincere ones, and evaluate workable plans and ideals as opposed to impossible aspirations. I know what is possible, what is unworkable, and what will instill confidence in ALL of our town residents as well as those who serve in the Williamstown Police Department.
Finally, throughout my career I have served in leadership roles on boards and committees; I have been trained to work collegially with peers who have diverse and divergent views; and I have shown the skill to reach consensus in a positive manner.
In the next few years, we need a person in town government who has experience in police and policing; who understands policing and administration; and who can assist the town in bringing its police department into the 21st century. I am the only person running for Select Board who has the experience to be able to formulate relevant questions and differentiate canned interview answers from sincere ones, and evaluate workable plans and ideals as opposed to impossible aspirations. I know what is possible, what is unworkable, and what will instill confidence in ALL of our town residents as well as those who serve in the Williamstown Police Department.
Finally, throughout my career I have served in leadership roles on boards and committees; I have been trained to work collegially with peers who have diverse and divergent views; and I have shown the skill to reach consensus in a positive manner.
One of you will not be elected to a three-year term on May 11. If you are not elected, how do you see yourself serving town government, if at all?
Currently, I am spending six to 12 hours a day seven days a week focusing on getting elected so that I can serve the town. This work includes researching issues and speaking with people in town (including residents, college officials, town officials, and board and committee members) in an effort to learn the needs and wants of the people I will be elected to serve, the limits of my duties and responsibilities, and possible solutions to the problems we face. I am learning how the pieces of the puzzle fit together, and, in collaboration with these various stakeholders, trying to develop plans and strategies to creatively create a better Williamstown. Once the election has been held and a Select Board member is chosen, I will know my immediate future and proceed from there.
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Candidate Cummings declined to participate in this Q&A; the link to our profile of him is below.
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Are you concerned about the state of discourse in the town and that some residents are being 'drowned out' by others? If not, why not? If so, what can the Select Board do to decrease the perceived rancor?
I do not have social media accounts but I hear about the banter there. It seems to mimic the discourse we have seen across the nation and in the media recently. In Williamstown, the handling of the 2020 federal lawsuit and related local governance issues which came to light caused a significant rift among residents. Due process takes time and a crisis in confidence requires more, not less, transparency and evidence of accountability. Some people became impatient with due process and some understandably with the damming of the flow of information. Being as transparent as possible, as quickly as possible once the lawsuit had been dismissed, would have helped to lower the temperature on social media.
My style is to listen to everyone. It's progress that the Select Board has begun "listening sessions" to offer a new avenue for feedback and an exchange of ideas. The DIRE committee has started this as well. As a Select Board member, I will respond to every email and make myself available to anyone who wants to meet. Historically, the voices that have been "drowned out" have been those of lower-income families and our marginalized citizens. I am here to speak on their behalf, too. We can begin to reshape our town by working together.
My style is to listen to everyone. It's progress that the Select Board has begun "listening sessions" to offer a new avenue for feedback and an exchange of ideas. The DIRE committee has started this as well. As a Select Board member, I will respond to every email and make myself available to anyone who wants to meet. Historically, the voices that have been "drowned out" have been those of lower-income families and our marginalized citizens. I am here to speak on their behalf, too. We can begin to reshape our town by working together.
One of the major responsibilities of the Select Board in the next six months will be hiring a new town manager. What is the No. 1 qualification you're looking for in the next town manager?
Foremost we need someone who is a master communicator and who considers transparency and accountability to be vital to success across all aspects of town governance. But other qualifications are key, too. Experience with culture change, long-range community planning, a proven record of municipal leadership and team building, and an ability to build cooperative relationships with appointed/elected officials, residents, and town employees. I will look for a town manager who has a collaborative leadership style with enthusiasm for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Knowledge of the specific affordable housing challenges our town is facing and ideas on how to change the trend of our continued decline in population are key to maintaining our town's vibrancy. We need someone who is not afraid to think outside the box to develop new collaborations and partners within our community. There's a long list of other experience and skills I will be looking for but the ones I mentioned rise to the top at this junction in the life of our town. Most important, I will look for assistance and guidance from the community regarding who WE collectively would want to be our next town manager.
Can you identify a specific action that the current Select Board took or did not take in the last year with which you disagreed? How would you have acted differently?
Hindsight is 20-20; however, once the federal lawsuit was withdrawn, I believe the Select Board would have been better served to air whatever was known through the town counsel's investigation as quickly as possible. That likely would have curtailed a great deal of grief, worry, and discomfort among residents. Further, I think the Select Board should have used their bully pulpit to state unequivocally that the actions admitted to in the lawsuit were wrong and would not be tolerated in this town.
I also would have requested an independent investigation earlier to expose all the facts. Town counsel's job was about damage control and financial liability, but once the suit was dropped, I think making the findings available to the public should have been a more immediate priority.
All our citizens wanted was the truth; our hearts and trust have become broken. Transparency in all aspects of our town government is the best way for us to move forward.
I also would have requested an independent investigation earlier to expose all the facts. Town counsel's job was about damage control and financial liability, but once the suit was dropped, I think making the findings available to the public should have been a more immediate priority.
All our citizens wanted was the truth; our hearts and trust have become broken. Transparency in all aspects of our town government is the best way for us to move forward.
Has there been a specific town issue in the last few years about which you have changed your mind after talking with other residents (your would-be constituents)? How did your thinking change?
I grew up feeling safe, carefree, and loved in our town. Unlike many of my peers, we did not have deep financial resources, but my friends never made me feel different. I worked hard, had a family here, and a good life. Fast forward to the present. I began to hear stories which were much different than my experience: people being harassed because of their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, who they loved. I had been familiar with the ugliness of bigotry, but not in our town. Over the next few months, I started to question why I had never noticed these micro-aggressions in my town.
I then heard of the plan to create the DIRE committee. It seemed like a way I could serve the people of this town. When the news of the 2020 federal lawsuit hit, which detailed the problematic culture of our police department and lack of oversight in the executive office. Since I announced my run for the Select Board, I have experienced what it is like to be "other" here. I learned my sister was illegally searched and her house vandalized, I have had lies spread, and now a few people no longer talk to me who had shown me love my entire life. Confronting this has been a soul-wrenching experience, but I have grown much stronger for it. As a member of the Select Board, I will be here to help guide us calmly back to that safe place where we all can feel loved in our town.
I then heard of the plan to create the DIRE committee. It seemed like a way I could serve the people of this town. When the news of the 2020 federal lawsuit hit, which detailed the problematic culture of our police department and lack of oversight in the executive office. Since I announced my run for the Select Board, I have experienced what it is like to be "other" here. I learned my sister was illegally searched and her house vandalized, I have had lies spread, and now a few people no longer talk to me who had shown me love my entire life. Confronting this has been a soul-wrenching experience, but I have grown much stronger for it. As a member of the Select Board, I will be here to help guide us calmly back to that safe place where we all can feel loved in our town.
Do you feel the May 11 election is a referendum on the town's Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Equity Committee? And, either way, do you support its continued efforts?
The May 11th election is a referendum on how successful the Select Board has been in the eyes of the voters.
DIRE has provided several recommendations as tasked to the Select Board in the form of formal resolutions. The Select Board has not yet discussed any of DIRE's resolutions at any of their meetings.
This election is about the type of governance we want. As a Select Board member, I will continue to support the DIRE committee, which has been by far the most scrutinized committee in the history of our town. DIRE has a strong future role to play in guiding and supporting other boards and committees to implement Articles 36 and 37 as voted in by town meeting in August 2020 (the Not in Our County pledge and how that may be carried out in town government).
DIRE has provided several recommendations as tasked to the Select Board in the form of formal resolutions. The Select Board has not yet discussed any of DIRE's resolutions at any of their meetings.
This election is about the type of governance we want. As a Select Board member, I will continue to support the DIRE committee, which has been by far the most scrutinized committee in the history of our town. DIRE has a strong future role to play in guiding and supporting other boards and committees to implement Articles 36 and 37 as voted in by town meeting in August 2020 (the Not in Our County pledge and how that may be carried out in town government).
What about your professional life and experience makes you uniquely qualified to sit on the Select Board?
With more than 20 years of professional management and supervisory experience in human services, I have the skills that can, for instance, assist our police department in establishing stronger community connections via public forums and ensure that support systems are in place to enhance new police data initiatives. My experience working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will be an asset to help us update our woefully outdated human resource (personnel) policies and procedures to meet current standards for equity and inclusion. My experience with the first recycling center at Middlebury [Vt.] College offers a fresh take on how we might handle recycling here. I have ideas on steps to lower our carbon footprint, and a reuse/repurpose initiative.
I am a multiracial man who has worked with, and has a strong comfortable level with, blue- and white-collar people. I know our town geography intimately; when we discuss zoning items, I have a firsthand knowledge of the area and its needs. Finally, I have started conversations with representatives from our local private schools, MGRHS, the Council on Aging, Williams College, and local vendors who work with individuals with disabilities in the hopes of developing a collaboration to build support for our aging and differently-abled population.
I am a multiracial man who has worked with, and has a strong comfortable level with, blue- and white-collar people. I know our town geography intimately; when we discuss zoning items, I have a firsthand knowledge of the area and its needs. Finally, I have started conversations with representatives from our local private schools, MGRHS, the Council on Aging, Williams College, and local vendors who work with individuals with disabilities in the hopes of developing a collaboration to build support for our aging and differently-abled population.
One of you will not be elected for a three-year term on May 11. If you are not elected, how do you see yourself serving town government, if at all?
I am working hard to win this election. As a member of DIRE, I have been serving the town in an official capacity for nearly a year. I have a long history of coaching sports and working with the Youth Center here, too. Clearly giving back is part of who I am. I would continue to serve on the DIRE Committee, be a voice for all residents, and work to ensure Articles 36 and 37 are woven into the fabric of town government. I am already working with many of the leaders of our public and private schools, Council on Aging, and Williams College to exchange ideas and policy solutions. I spend time listening to various constituents' concerns and I think about ways to meld our collective hopes, dreams, fears, and current reality into one direction forward. I will continue to try to connect the people with good ideas to the people who can make them happen.
We need to work collaboratively for our town to develop affordable housing and economic opportunities, to decrease our carbon footprint, and to decide collectively how we want to be policed in the future. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child; I want us to return to that idea by modeling appropriate community relationships for our youth. I feel a renaissance of change is growing, not just in our town, but across the state and entire country. I know I can be a voice to help us get to the place where each one of us will be proud to call Williamstown our home.
We need to work collaboratively for our town to develop affordable housing and economic opportunities, to decrease our carbon footprint, and to decide collectively how we want to be policed in the future. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child; I want us to return to that idea by modeling appropriate community relationships for our youth. I feel a renaissance of change is growing, not just in our town, but across the state and entire country. I know I can be a voice to help us get to the place where each one of us will be proud to call Williamstown our home.
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