UPDATE: Voters Elect 2 New Planning Board Members: Colten and Ortiz

Framingham also elects a new Selectmen (Michael Bower) and a new School Committee member (Eric Silverman) Tuesday.

UPDATED: Midnight with Town Meeting election results. UPDATED: 11 p.m. Tuesday with vote totals and unopposed races of Library Trustee, Keefe Tech School Committee, Edgell Grove Cemetery Trustee and Framingham Housing Authority. *** Challengers Lew Colten and Victor Ortiz were elected to the Framingham Planning Board Tuesday. They easily defeated incumbents Susan Bernstein and Andrea Carr-Evans Colten received 1,934 votes and Ortiz 1,511. Bernstein received 1,352 and Carr-Evans 1,321. The win by the two newcomers, means three new Planning Board members have been elected to the 5-member board in the last two year. "The sign that’s been hung out at the entrance to Framingham that says ‘Closed for Business’ is now removed," Colten said. Voter…

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Letter to the Editor

Chasan Endorses Colten and Ortiz for Planning Board

Chasan: "Send a message that Framingham values the jobs and tax revenue that businesses provide to our community. "

To properly fund our schools, public safety, etc., Framingham needs responsible growth and the tax revenue that comes with it.   Framingham’s current leadership talks a good game but the votes and policies of the town have driven long time businesses out of town and prevented new businesses from investing in our town.   Neighboring communities have departments and staff that welcome, attract, recruit, and work diligently to retain companies, while here companies leave town due to overburdening regulations.   There are 2 seats in the April 9th election, where we have an opportunity to elect new members to the Planning Board that will help to encourage businesses to invest in and remain in Framingham.   We all live here and want Framingham …

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Teri Banerjee Running Unopposed

The current interim moderator is running for a 1-year term for Framingham Moderator.

Editor's Note: As per the Framingham Patch election guide, each candidate for town-wide office was allowed to submit a political announcement on their candidacy. The town election is Tuesday, April. 9. Below is the announcement for Moderator candidate Teri Banerjee. She is running unopposed for a 1-year term. *** The Town Moderator serves two critical purposes: 1. To lead and facilitate productive and efficient operations of Framingham’s legislative body, known as Town Meeting, 2. To recruit, screen, evaluate and appoint community volunteers to serve on six critical committees –Finance, Capital Budget, Technology Advisory, Government Study, Real Property, and the Personnel Board. I have been elected twice by Town Meeting to be temporary …

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POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Silverman for School Committee Rally

The event will be held at Bela Costa Ristorante Monday, Jan 14 from 6 to 8 p.m.

A rally for School Committee candidate Eric Silverman has been scheduled for Monday, Jan. 14 at Bella Costa Ristorante from 6 to 8 p.m. The public is invited. "Silverman has first-hand familiarity with town government and finances and now serves as a Town Meeting member," states the press release. Silverman is a professor and department chair at Wheelock College. His children attended Stapleton Elementary School, where he served on the School Council. His children now attend Cameron Middle School and Framingham High School.  “I pledge to make use of my extensive professional, personal, and civic experiences to promote academic excellence to prepare our children for an exciting, productive future. I will work to reduce the achievement gap; …

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UPDATED: Framingham Patch Election Policy: April 2013 Town Election

Framingham Patch is a community site. We encourage participation. Candidates may join the conversation, but with a few rules.

Framingham Patch will cover the town election in April 2013, but will not be endorsing any candidate. We will be researching, reporting and writing our own election articles. The deadline to submit nomination papers is Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. for town-wide elected office. The deadline to withdraw from the election is Thursday, Feb. 7. It is Patch's policy to not write reports on individuals who pull papers, but rather when individuals return papers with the required signatures. Incumbent Town Meeting members have until Tuesday, Feb. 12 to announce their candidacy for re-election with the Framingham Town Clerk's office. Four Town meeting members in each of the town's 18 precincts are up for re-election. Those who wish to run for Town Meeting, …

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Framingham Town Election 2013 Calendar

The town's annual election is typically the first Tuesday in the month of April, but in 2013 it was moved to Tuesday, April 9 to accommodate the Jewish holiday.

The town's election season has begun. Last month, Framingham School Committee member Adam Blumer told Framingham Patch he would not seek a third term. Last week, School Committee member Heather Connolly announced she would seek re-election, and Town meeting member Eric Silverman declared his candidacy for Framingham School Committee. There are two 3-year School Committee seats open in 2013. Both Selectman Charlie Sitisky and Ginger Esty have pulled nomination papers for re-election to the Framingham Board of Selectmen. There are two 3-year seats open in 2013. The deadline to return nomination papers to the Framingham Town Clerk's office is Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. The town's annual election is typically the first Tuesday in the month of …

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Silverman To Run For School Committee

Town meeting member Eric Silverman announces his candidacy for Framingham School Committee; there are two seats available in April 2013.

Editor's Note: Under the Framingham Patch election policy, each candidate is allowed to submit a written announcement. The following was submitted by the candidate - Eric Silverman. It is a great privilege to announce my candidacy for School Committee. I know well the challenges and assets of our school system--and the resources and supports necessary to ensure educational success for all students in our dynamic, diverse community. I pledge to harness my extensive professional, personal, and civic experiences to promote academic excellence so we educate our town’s children for an exciting, productive future. Professionally, I have more than two decades experience in higher education as a professor, department chair, program innovator, …

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Heather Connolly To Run For Re-Election

Heather Connolly, who won a 1-year seat to replace Rick Finlay on the School Committee, will run for re-election for a full 3-year seat.

Heather Connolly, who won a 1-year seat to replace Rick Finlay on the School Committee in April, told Framingham Patch she will run for re-election, for a full 3-year seat. Connolly has not pulled papers yet from the Town Clerk's office. Adam Blumer told Framingham Patch last week he will not seek re-election. There are two 3-year seats available on the Framingham School Committee in 2013. The town's election is in April. Connolly said she will submit a formal announcement to Patch after she pulls papers.

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School Committee Member Not Running For Re-Election

There will be an open seat on the Framingham School Committee as a current incumbent has decided not to seek re-election.

After two-terms on the Framingham School Committee, Adam Blumer said he will not seek re-election. The town's annual election is in April. Blumer said family is the main reason why he is not seeking a third term. Blumer said now that his boys are in middle and high school, he wants to spend more time with them. Blumer said the fact that his wife - Sarah Guernsey - is employed by the Framingham Public Schools did not weigh into his re-election decision, as he has been able to make it work since first elected. Guernsey is the district's student data coordinator and the K-8 math coordinator. He said the decision was made easier with the new leadership at the Framingham Public Schools. "We are headed in a better direction," he said in a phone …

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