Ashe makes bid for Clerk of Courts
Date: 5/7/2012
May 7, 2012By Katelyn Gendron
katelyn@thereminder.comSPRINGFIELD — Thomas Ashe is no stranger to public life and that's just one reason why he believes he's the right fit for the Hampden County Clerk of Courts, which is being vacated by Brian Lees.
With 15 years of public service under his belt as a former member of the Springfield School Committee and now a second-term City Councilor, Ashe said his civic duties as well as his 18 years in the correctional field give him the edge over the field. Others who've made their bid for the position include Linda Stec DiSanti, legal administrator and office manager at DiSanti Law Offices in West Springfield and John DaCruz, a former selectman in Ludlow.
"Anything in life, particularly in politics, is timing, but this is a position that I'm well suited for," Ashe said, noting his experience working with the Hampden Superior Court as the current director of Community Corrections for the Worcester County sheriff.
He said his experience formulating municipal budgets in Springfield would also lend itself to his maintenance and operation of the court's finances. "I have a clear understanding of what the budgets mean on the government level and making cuts and doing more with less," Ashe added.
When asked what he thought of the competition, he replied, "I have great respect for anybody who puts their name on the ballot. It's not easy to run for public life because you're exposed and out there for the public to dissect."
Ashe called public service something that he values on a personal and professional level. "It's a rewarding challenge because you really feel that you're giving something back to those who elected you and represented you," he added.
