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Date: 5/4/2022
WILBRAHAM – There are several contested elected positions that will be decided in the Wilbraham Town Election on May 21. Reminder Publishing asked the candidates a series of three questions. Below are their answers in their own words, with candidates listed in alphabetical order.
Board of Selectmen
One seat is open on the Board of Selectmen. Susan Bunnell and Jeffrey Farnsworth, both current members of the Finance Committee, are running for the three-year term.
Reminder Publishing: What are the top three issues facing Wilbraham in the coming year?
Susan Bunnell: 1. Find best use for $4.3 million in ARPA [American Rescue Plan Act] funds; seek input from town staff and residents to help selectmen make optimal choices.
2. Find the best way to incorporate the significant grant money we’ve been receiving into our budgets, without undercutting those budgets and while understanding they may not be permanent additions to our income. These grants flow into Free cash each year, reducing our debt and saving interest, and allow us to pay for many projects with cash rather than borrowing. Explore using these revenue sources to reduce tax bills where possible.
For example, regionalizing Dispatch (911 services) has just brought over $600,000 to the town, which covers most or all the cost of running the department, and we are in the first full year of the full impact of this approach. Other examples include funds from green communities, health and senior services grants; some of these are ongoing while others are new in our fiscal picture.
3. Enhanced communication and civic engagement, starting with the town’s website which needs to be improved and updated. The process was begun during my previous tenure and needs ongoing attention.
Jeffrey Farnsworth: I am Jeff Farnsworth and I respectfully ask for your vote for Wilbraham Selectman. The priorities that I feel should be addressed in Wilbraham are:
We need to take an in-depth look at our town finances. The town receives nearly $1 million in various grants; however, we do not use the money appropriately to help ease the tax burden on our residents. We must address how much tax money we keep in Free Cash and both stabilization funds, much of which should remain in your back accounts, not the town’s. We also need to review how we are using all the town-owned buildings. How are we going to use Memorial School and the old police station? Why do we keep renting space for our Recreation Department? Consolidate our town services in these buildings and review the costs to keep and maintain the remaining empty buildings, which also impacts our taxes. The coming year will be difficult for many families as the cost of everything keeps rising. As elected officials, we must look for as many ways as possible to reduce the financial strains we face; our municipal budget is where to start.
Keep Wilbraham safe, Wilbraham has outstanding public services. The changes to public safety required due to police reform, and the general strain on public safety make it keenly important to have someone who knows and works daily on the issues faced by police, fire and emergency medical personnel. I will utilize my over 30 years of experience in public safety to ensure we keep the excellent public safety we enjoy now.
I want to take a portion of the millions our town received in COVID-19 funds and use it as seed money to get rid of Charter cable and start our own municipal broadband – better service at better prices. Many towns in Massachusetts already do so.
RP: What makes you uniquely qualified to tackle those issues? What experience do you bring that will benefit Wilbraham?
Bunnell: More than two decades as an appointed or elected official qualifies me as the best choice to return to the board in this election cycle. This cycle will mark the loss of Mr. Robert Russell and Mr. Robert Boilard who, like me, have decades of municipal experience including Finance Committee, Capital Planning and other service to the town. Historical perspective and knowledge of previous decisions should never dictate decisions but offer critical perspective during current decision making. My other committee experience includes Solid Waste Advisory, MRHS [Minnechaug Regional High School] Building, Major Projects, Library Strategic Planning, School Improvement (WMS [Wilbraham Middle School] and MRHS, et. al. I also serve on the Mass Municipal Association’s Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment, Association of Town Finance Committees and the Governor’s Zero Emission Vehicle Commission. Deep knowledge of our community and the wider perspective I have gained by engagement across the state help us to avoid “recreating the wheel” while remaining true to our town, its goals and our unique character.
Farnsworth: I will bring over 30 years of municipal and state service to the town. I have served as the president of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. I received the 2020 Massachusetts Police Chief of the Year award. I am also a veteran. I currently work as the senior advisor to the secretary of public safety. I deal with police reform and various public safety issues throughout our state daily. I will leverage that experience to ensure we continue to keep Wilbraham safe in a responsible, cost-effective way.
RP: In a time of divided community opinions, how do you build consensus and make tough decisions?
Bunnell: Effective, engaged, thoughtful listening to all input offered, as well as seeking out the opinions of those not always most vocal, are key to gaining consensus. My reputation and track record in these areas reflect my deep commitment to ensuring valuable continued service to our community.
Please attend Wilbraham’s Annual Town Meeting on May 16, beginning at 7 p.m. There are a number of critical articles on the warrant, so plan now to stay late! And please vote on May 12 at Minnechaug Regional High School, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., or by absentee ballot which may be requested at the town clerk’s office in Town Hall.
Farnsworth: Something that I truly believe is so important; disagreement does not mean dislike. I will work diligently to live that and foster that respect, which everyone deserves. Only through earnest and honest communication can we continue to have the great community we live in. We are neighbors and all want the best for our town. To achieve that, we have to be open to respectful conversations, learn from each other, focus on what we have in common, and build from there. We all want a safe community. Together we can keep Wilbraham safe and be proud of where we call home.
Planning Board
There is one seat with a five-year term open on the Planning Board. The two individuals running for it are incumbent James Rooney and Bruce Williams, who was unable to be reached by press time.
Reminder Publishing: What is the number one responsibility of the Planning Board?
James Rooney: The Planning Board is responsible for overseeing land use planning in the Town of Wilbraham. Working in close cooperation with the planning director and the building inspector / zoning enforcement officer, the Planning Board studies the resources and needs of the town, particularly conditions affecting public welfare and safety related to land use and development. That’s from the town web site. A citizen I was recently talking to expressed to me he felt the Planning Board is the committee most focused on the quality of life in town.
RP: How should growth and the quality of small-town life be balanced? How much business and industrial growth is in the best interest of Wilbraham?
Rooney: By looking at growth and development carefully, fully supporting projects that bring value to the town. Working with the developers and all the surrounding citizens and the town departments to bring the plan from the planning stage to execution. Utilizing the bylaws and input from the community. The Boston Road area is a wonderful area for us to grow a business and industrial base. I live directly off Rte. 20, have all my life. I know the potential. I’ve seen that road grow from basically just sand pits and sparse businesses to a place where we can shop and dine without leaving town. The town needs to get the broadband system going and then watch out!
RP: What qualifies you for election (or re-election) to the Planning Board? What experience can you bring to help the board make tough decisions?
Rooney: I humbly ask to be re-elected to continue to serve the town I love so much. To serve on, in my opinion, the best board: the Wilbraham Planning Board, where I have made tough votes, dealing with solar arrays, by-laws and goats!
Hampden-Wilbraham
Regional School Committee
Two candidates, Joseph Lawless and Michael Tirabassi, are seeking to unseat incumbent Sean Kennedy in the race for a seat on the Hampden Wilbraham Regional School District’s (HWRSD) School Committee.
Reminder Publishing: What are the top three issues facing the district in the coming year?
Sean Kennedy: The top three issues facing our district over the next year are hiring a new superintendent and integrating them into the role/district/community, implementing the new strategic plan, and completing the educational equity audit to carefully integrate it into the strategic plan.
Any of these tasks alone would present a significant challenge to any school committee. Working on all these at once will require experience and a proven track record to ensure they are done in the most productive way possible. When it comes to hiring a new superintendent, I will not vote to hire any candidate unless they prove to be a great communicator and a trusted leader who understands the specific needs of our district. I will not settle for less.
In terms of the strategic plan and the equity audit, there are many passionate voices that share serious concerns about how to address issues of inequity. I voted in favor of the audit, knowing that the results would be available to all stakeholders. For all students in our district to succeed we need a baseline as a starting point to build upon. This is a great opportunity for HWRSD to provide resources for long-term success.
Joseph Lawless: There are many issues facing the HWRSD, from hiring a new superintendent to developing and implementing a district-wide strategic plan. On reflection, however, I would say that the three most pressing issues in the coming year are:
1. To deliver a classical education and curriculum that prepares students for life after high school
2. To address the declining performance and reputation of the schools
3. To develop a system to enhance communication with all constituency groups and foster transparency.
Michael Tirabassi: This upcoming year has the potential for a lot of change in our school system. With the start of the school year, we will be learning to work with a new superintendent while at the same time beginning to implement the new strategic plan for our school district. Our next big issue will be learning to rebuild and maintain academic excellence, especially at Minnechaug, by preventing further attrition of courses. This will require creative solutions in the climate of increasingly tighter school budgets, especially as COVID-19 relief dollars dry up. Encouraging and rewarding teachers to become dual-certified in certain subjects, particularly in high school, could be part of the solution. Strengthening our collaborative relationship with other schools and colleges in the region may also play a key role in the future. Finally, during COVID-19, our students were educated remotely for a good part of the last two years. We are learning that children are far behind in their social and emotional development. This has become particularly challenging in middle school and has the potential to impact the academic performance of the students. I would certainly support the formation of a focus group of experienced educators in the district to brainstorm and suggest how we can best help our students catch up.
RP: What steps should be taken to stop or reverse the long-term decline in enrollment numbers?
Kennedy: As a result of the district’s steady decline in enrollment in our schools, Massachusetts has implemented a “hold harmless” policy for our district. This policy allows us the same financial support from the state, with minor increases, (right now, $30 in the governor’s budget and $60 in House of Representatives budget). It will take a concerted effort by both towns to turn this around to get the funding we need and deserve. My approach will be to continue improving our schools. Our reputation of having highly involved parents, school staff, and community members is unmatched. As families see the success of our students and the care that we give them, they will be attracted to our towns for our school district.
When asked if we are doing our best for our students, let’s look at where we spend our funding. Over the six years, I have served on the Budget and Finance Subcommittee, we have decreased classroom sizes and made Wilbraham Middle School a proper middle school again! Our per student administrative costs are the lowest in Western Massachusetts at $469, $17 less than the next lowest and $205 lower than the average. I support advancing the curriculum to meet the increasing global needs of our students and continued reflection on what we are doing to better support all students, including more opportunities for the trades.
Lawless: The reasons for the declining enrollment vary from case to case. It can range from a simple demographic shift or decrease in family size to a significant factor, such as a desire to provide the highest quality education. To that end, many parents report that they are frustrated by the lack of standards in the district, a curriculum that lacks rigor, and the sense that the HWRSD has lost sight of its primary purpose and taken on responsibilities that are more appropriately the duty of parents. Be it by schooling their children at home or in a charter, private, or parochial school, parents are voicing their displeasure with the program offered by the district.
Tirabassi: The quality of the education the school district offers has always been a draw for families with children to move to and stay in our school district. Because of this, I believe it is essential that we refocus our efforts on the classroom and rebuilding the academic reputation of our school district, particularly in Minnechaug Regional High School. Beyond that, the next most important step is to better understand the problem. We don’t know if students are leaving the public school system for private schools, moving out of town, or perhaps people in town are just having fewer children. Gathering the data will allow us to understand how and why the number has been dropping, which will allow us to come up with the best plan to reverse the trend.
RP: Everyone wants what they believe to be best for their children, but many strongly disagree on what that is. How would you work to build consensus among parents and the communities?
Kennedy: Regarding the best path forward for our students, communication is the key. HWRSD hires the best teachers in the state. Understanding the state and federal guidelines and talking directly to your school staff helps ease fears. You can always call me; my number is on the district website. I am asking for your vote on May 21.
Lawless: Building consensus among parents and communities is essential to improving the educational system for all children. Coming to a general agreement involves several key steps, such as defining the issue, having an open discussion, coming up with proposals, choosing an option, developing and finalizing that option, and implementing and evaluating the proposal. It is essential in this process to listen to the community. That is the most important skill I’ve learned in my 20 years of leadership. Parents, grandparents, and community members need to be heard, and our School Committee needs to listen.
I recommend that the committee have quarterly listening sessions to provide a format for lengthy, inclusive, and effective communications and transparency. I also support every school in creating ongoing parent/community seminars to allow parents to learn about the curriculum. Finally, the district should survey parents each year to obtain their perspectives on “how we’re doing.”
We can either ignore community concerns or work together to renew confidence in our school district. I clearly prefer that we work together to become better.
With your vote, I will be a vocal and involved member of the School Committee. I will ask the hard questions, dedicating myself to educational excellence, transparency, and responsiveness.
We can do better, and I am committed to leading the way through change to improvement. Working together, we can only get better!
Tirabassi: Our community has struggled over the past few years with the closure of TWB (Thorton W. Burgess School) and the subsequent lawsuit. We need to heal, come together, and move forward into the future in the best interest of our children. The upcoming equity audit has the potential to help drive consensus as to how we can best reach all our students, provided it is properly executed under the guidance of a DEI officer. We also need to respect that the students in the district have varying needs. Some are seeking college admission while others are looking to start a career upon high school graduation. While we are keen to advocate for our own children we must remember as a community we need to serve the interests and needs of all the students in the district. We need to work together to make sure every student meets their full potential.
Library Board of Trustees
There are two seats available on the Library Board of Trustees for the Wilbraham Public Library (WPL) and four candidates – Thomas Garvey, Christine Goonan, David Sanders, and Marjorie Williams, the last of whom is up for re-election. Williams was unable to be reached by press time.
Reminder Publishing: What is the role of the Library Board of Trustees?
Thomas Garvey: The WPL Board of Trustees is the governing board for the library, sets policy and works in partnership with the library director to establish goals and objectives relevant to the current and future direction of the library.
Christine Goonan: The role of the WPL Board of Library Trustees is to oversee building infrastructure, budget and programs the library provides. The board is responsible for overseeing and at times directing the work of the library director. The board must work collaboratively and cooperatively keeping the needs of all patrons foremost in their collective decisions.
David Sanders: My name is Dave Sanders and I’m proud to run for the 3-year term of library trustee! Library trustees are town volunteers that govern the library operation, set policy and advocate for the library so as to benefit the community. I appreciate the contributions made by the retiring James Jurgens over many years. I humbly ask for your consideration when voting for one of the two library trustee slots.
RP: What makes you uniquely qualified? What experience do you bring that will benefit Wilbraham?
Garvey: I am a lifelong resident of Wilbraham, having graduated from Minnechaug and have had a WPL card for as long as I can remember. I have always found the library to be a wonderful place of learning and cultural growth and continue to be impressed with the dedicated staff in assisting with finding books, answering questions and in providing various community activities that residents of Wilbraham and others can enjoy. My professional experience is in business, sales and building relationships and consensus for a common goal. Having grown up in Wilbraham and now raising my family here, I have been actively involved in community service and view the trustee position as an opportunity to give-back and build partnerships for cultural expansion and capital investment.
Goonan: I bring experience from many perspectives to the position of Wilbraham Board of Library Trustees. I am a wife of a disabled veteran and a mother of two sons who attended Wilbraham schools and graduated from Minnechaug Regional High School. I am a local educator with a master’s in science degree from Springfield College and advanced certification from Tufts University. I understand the necessary connection students in our district have with the public library. Finally, I have volunteered in town government as a broadband board member and currently run a computer coding class for students at the Wilbraham Public Library.
Through my volunteering within the library, I have both experienced and benefited from the unique value the library provides. I would like to continue the great work of the board in keeping our libraries open and accessible to all. Keeping the Wilbraham Public Library open and accessible to all is very personal to me. At the age of 7, my father died suddenly and left my mother with five children under the age of 8 years old to raise. My mother was an educator who was well aware of the importance and need of developing lifelong learners. What do you do with five children when you are a single parent on a limited income? You take them to the library. I applied for my first library card at age 8. My siblings soon followed as they grew older. We spent countless hours at our neighborhood/city library reading a variety of genres. Because of the access and opportunities that the public library provided me and my family, it is important I provide this same service to others. In fact, it is the very reason I am running for this position, as I see the library as a vital part of our community, serving all citizens of all ages. Libraries provided lifelong learning opportunities for all the citizens in Wilbraham.
Sanders: My past service to Wilbraham has included a term on the Planning Board, being a member of the Economic Development Committee and chairman of the initial Agricultural Committee. For many years, I have volunteered for the public access station (WPA) recording Selectmen, School Committee, School Subcommittee, School Strategic Plan and recently, library trustee meetings. Recently, I had the privilege to have a meeting and a tour with Library Director Karen Demers. She shared with me her perspective of how the library is functioning today, her short-term tasks, and long-term future plans. I am willing to accept the challenge of accommodating those plans while remaining fiscally prudent and employing technology to improve the library environment. My 48-year career was in IT doing data management and disaster recovery for MassMutual and QA for EMC/Dell. This background can be applied to the technical challenges that the library is facing. I am retired and have the time and interest to serve.
RP: Across the country there have been calls to ban certain books from schools and libraries. Should the public have a say in what books are available to read in their community?
Garvey: The public should have a say in what books are available at their library, as the library is the cultural centerpiece of the town, and I am not in favor of banning books. However, I also believe that safeguards need to be in place to protect children from books that are not content-appropriate and look forward to partnering with the WPL and members of the board to define and establish policy.
Goonan: The American Library Association (ALA), established in 1876, has a longstanding commitment to defend intellectual freedom in libraries. Even before the formal adoption of the Library Bill of Rights in 1939, the ALA has provided support, guidance, and resources to librarians faced with censorship. The public has an interest in how their local libraries are managed. The process the public must take is to vote for the library board of trustees that represents their interests. I take seriously the voices of our community and want to listen and serve. I am committed to bringing these voices to the Board of Library Trustees in making solid choices for our community.
Sanders: Library Trustees are the governing board of the WPL and set policy. WPL policy should set age-appropriate limits on the accessibility of books and other media. I don’t believe that books or media should be banned, but a content rating system should limit age groups while allowing for parental discretion via “opt-in.” I became concerned with the statement that is emboldened within the policy that declares: “The library staff does not restrict borrowing or use of library materials and services based on age.” I don’t believe that an 8-year-old should be allowed access to X-rated content or services unless the parents’ consent specifically. Currently, the internet policy restricts youth under the age of 14 from accessing it without parental permission. I think this is a reasonable age level, and that same policy should be applied via the ratings to certain media content.