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Ashe explains mayoral campaign

Thomas Ashe Reminder Publications photo by G. Michael Dobbs
By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD With his campaign for mayor in full swing, School Committee member Thomas Ashe sat down last week at the offices of Reminder Publications for a free-ranging discussion on his positions on issues affecting the city.

Accompanied by Kimberly Lee, the vice president of advancement for the Springfield Day Nursery, who is a volunteer on his campaign, the discussion started with his qualifications for the office.

Ashe is a 1984 graduate of Cathedral High School and graduated from Assumption College in 1989. His first government position was an appointment by Mayor Michael Albano to the Board of License Commissioners in 1998. He was elected to the School Committee in 1999.

Ashe said that, beyond his government experience as a member of the School Committee, what qualifies him in "a kind of unique way" is his experience in law enforcement at the Sheriff's Department where he served for almost a decade, coupled with his two- year stint as the education director at the Basketball Hall of Fame. His current job as the sales director of Advanced Energy Group, a lighting conservation company, adds a business angle to his resume.

These three points in his career law enforcement, education and business are the basis for the experience he said he will need to run the city.

Ashe, who has been on the School Committee since January of 1999, said he began seriously thinking of running for mayor during the election two years ago when then- State Senator Linda Melconian faced Charles Ryan. Ashe said that Melconian's announcement to run which ended the efforts of several other would-be candidates did not influence his decision not to run as much as his just joining his new employer.

With Springfield recovering from a deep fiscal disaster and under the thumb of a state-appointed and Boston-dominated Finance Control Board (FCB), Ashe admitted that "there is never a perfect time to run for office."

"There is never an opportune time. You have to make your own opportunities," he explained.

He said he understands that with the FCB in place, he, as mayor, would become "one in five." He described the city's fiscal situation as "dire," and acknowledged that the FCB has control over the city.

There are three areas of great need on which the mayor can have impact: public safety, education and economic development.

He charged that Mayor Charles Ryan has "distanced himself" from issues on the School Committee and has not been active enough on key economic development projects.

"He has not given adequate attention to those key areas," he said.

Ashe characterized the homeless problem in Springfield as a major concern during his recent debate with Ryan. He asserted that it was preventing economic development in the downtown area.

Ashe confirmed that he does believe that the city's homeless problem has affected business development, although he did not offer specific examples. He emphasized, though, that he is "as compassionate as anyone on the issue of homelessness."

Having said that, he believes that downtown must be "cleaned up" in order to encourage an atmosphere that would foster new business. To do this, Ashe supports the development of a new centralized homeless shelter.

Unless the issue of the homeless is better addressed, Ashe said the effect on the MassMutual Center would be "detrimental."

He noted that, where there are now services for the homeless there are also needed key tourist attractions such as the Quadrangle and the Basketball Hall of Fame.

"Those are not suitable destinations for the homeless," he said.

He added that he believes Cooperstown, NY and Canton, OH, do not have homeless populations near the Baseball and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

In comparison, Canton has a population of 80,806 and Cooperstown has 2,032 Springfield has 152,000 residents.

If Ashe had been mayor, he said he would have worked with the Friends of the Homeless, the group that operates the shelter on Worthington Street, and utilized $7 million in aid that was designated for the construction of a new shelter.

He charged that this money which Ryan held from the management of the shelter because of the management of shelter director Frank Keough is now gone and can not be utilized by the city. Although he does not fault Ryan for not wanting to make a deal with Keough, he said he would have found a way to use the money and build the new facility.

During the debate, Ryan said a new shelter would be built and that he was sure it would receive state financing.

Keough, a former City Councilor and a major figure in the Springfield political landscape for years, was fired by the new shelter board in June and is facing charges of extortion, witness intimidation and obstruction of justice from a federal corruption investigation.

Ashe has been characterized by some press reports as a political protegee of Keough and he readily admitted that Keough is one of the many people who has helped him in his campaigns.

His association with Keough "would never get in the way" of his work with the city.

"You can't put your own personal friendships or enemies ahead of what's best for the city," he said.

Ashe also said, since the city does not have an economic development office, he would seek an expert organization, such as the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, to work with the city. He said he would also use tax incentive programs to encourage new businesses from outside of manufacturing to come to the city and that he expects the city will see new businesses through tourism and convention activities.

Public safety is a significant issue for Ashe and he called Acting Police Commissioner William Fitchet "talented and dedicated." The redeployment of officers undertaken by Fitchet should have happened more than two years ago, he added.

If elected, Ashe said he would seek to add 15 officers a year to the Police Department for three years and he would restore the community policing effort. He said that he would decentralize the Police Department and have community policing areas throughout the city. He said this could create a "healthy competition" in which police officers could develop effective ways to deal with crime.

He acknowledged that his plan would have a "tremendous cost" and that the city would have to commit to that. However, he insisted, that other benefits will come to the city once it has a "good public safety plan, which it does not have right now."

While Ashe supported the removal of the police chief's job from civil service, he believes Paula Meara could have been fired if the Police Commission had set goals for her. He thought the money spent on the buy-out sent a "terrible message to the rank and file."

Ashe has been endorsed by the Patrolmen's Union, which has been working without a new contract for three years.

In regards to the poor physical state of the city's school buildings, Ashe defended the School Committee's role stating that the Committee had no power to make improvements. He applauded the Ryan Administration making improvement of city buildings a priority.

He said it was very frustrating that the School Committee could not authorize the repairs, as that is the job of city's Facilities Management Department.

The appointment of Ashe's wife, Mary, to a teaching job at Putnam Vocational High School, has raised both eyebrows and political rhetoric around the city and Ashe said that, whether or not the criticism is justified, isn't for him to say.

Although he said the appointment probably didn't come at the best time for him, it was the best time for his wife, who he said put her career on hold for seven years while raising their children.

Although there was the risk of political damage, Ashe said he was not going to stand in the way of his wife's opportunity.