Election Guide: Selectmen Candidates Discuss Serving All Parts of Framingham, Uniting Neighborhoods

Framingham is a community made up of a large, diverse population. Framingham Patch asked each of the five selectmen candidates what part of the Town is under served? And what could you do as a Selectmen to help that segment of the community? And what could you do as a selectmen to bring the community together, as one?

On Tuesday, voters will go to the polls and elect two Selectmen. The

re are 5 candidates running for two, three-year terms on the 5-member Framingham Board of Selectmen.

On the ballot are Incumbent Selectman Laurie Lee, Deborah Butler, Doug Freeman, Ryan Gagne, and Cheryl Tully Stoll. 

Selectmen Chair Dennis Giombetti chose not to run for re-election.

Below are the candidate's answers as written.

Lee: "Because Framingham and our neighborhoods are diverse each group or area faces different needs and approaches. Recognizing this, I make it a priority to listen to the concerns of residents in allareas of Town and have focus on finding solutions to these issues. 

My first initiative on the Board was the creation of a Foreclosure action plan which resulted in receiving $1.2 Million of HUD funds to address foreclosed homes in areas that are low income or underserved. Foreclosures not only have a devastating impact on a person or a family but also on a street, a neighborhood, and all the neighborhoods in Town. With these funds Framingham had the resources to go into impacted neighborhoods, buy up vacant foreclosed properties, renovate them, re-sell them and then start the cycle over again, - putting a stop to spreading blight. Our successful program leveraged our funds putting nearly $2 Million into our neighborhoods. The Board expanded upon this program by creating the Housing Code Enforcement Task Force, an interdepartmental team which is focused on reducing blight in our and improving our housing stock. We are currently expanding this Code enforcement program to include a rental inspection arm to ensure that the interior of our rentals follow health and safety codes. 

My efforts as the Board representative to the Downtown Roadway project has resulted in $8.5 Million of federal and state funding for the revitalization of Downtown Framingham. This project includes transportation safety and aesthetic improvements and is one aspect of a multi-year public/private plan the Board of Selectmen have sponsored to improve quality of life, public safety and economic prosperity to Downtown Framingham. Our ribbon cutting ceremony was March 24, 2014!

During my tenure on the Board I have worked to support neighborhoods and residents all over Framingham including; securing the funding for the construction of the new Christa McAuliffe library at Nobscot, keeping the Danforth Museum in Framingham with the sale of the Jonathan Maynard Building, improving the health and quality of life of residents in Saxonville with the closing of the asphalt grinding facility and working with state officials to change the MWRA policy on Aqueduct use and have Framingham be the first community In the State to open the Weston and Sudbury Aqueducts for public use."

Tully Stoll: "There are several portions of town that are underserved depending upon the criteria used. The majority of these parts of town and population groups live south of Route 9 and South of Route 135. For example, Precinct 18 and 16 which abut one another on the south side of Route 135 have 25% and 17% less Town Meeting representation that many other precincts. 

Additionally, the majority of children live on the south side of town while the majority of schoolbuildings are on the north side of town, resulting in many south side children spending adisproportionate amount of time on school busses instead of participating in more productive activities.

I have spent nine years on the MetroWest Health Foundation’s Framingham panel representing all of Framingham. I have friends and colleagues who live and work in all different parts our wonderful community and these individuals represent diverse ethnic, religious and socioeconomic groups.

As a Selectman I would utilize these relationships to help encourage new people to participate in town government and would do additional outreach to include people from all walks of life in new initiatives where appropriate."

Butler: "I believe the South side of Town is most underserved.  If elected I would work with individuals such as Judy Grove to bring a skate park for children to the South side and engage members of F.A.C.E.S. and the Board of Health to clean up both the General Chemical site and Mary Dennison Park and raise the three contaminated building next to Woodrow Wilson School."

Freeman: "I look at the underrepresentation of Southside precincts in Framingham Town Meeting as something that needs correcting. These precincts presently have a limited amount of influence on the important decisions that are made by Town Meeting on spending priorities.  As your Selectman, I would work hard to fill Town meeting seats from underrepresented precincts. I have suggested that we could look at expanding the Town taxpayer work down program to allow community volunteerism. If this creative approach was allowed, possibly the shortage of volunteers on town boards could be reduced. "

Gagne: Did not respond to this question by the deadline.

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On Friday, each of the five candidates identified three ways the Town of Framingham could be more efficient and or save money. Click here to read their answers.

On Thursday, Framingham Patch asked the Selectmen candidates where do you stand on the town's budget? Would you support a 1%, 1.5%, 2% or 2.5% increase? Click here for their responses.

On Wednesday, Framingham Patch published the candidates' answers to the question - what is the biggest issue facing Framingham? Click here to read their responses.