I got a great question in my inbox yesterday from a local high school student named Dan: For an 18 year old, it’s hard to grasp what’s going on in most situations and the stakes that are in it, but I know how important town elections are, which leads me to my question: As I […]
Roadmap Part 2: Your Wants. Your Needs. Your Budget.
On a cold February night in 2014, a group of parents, town administrators, and school staff gathered in the high school library for a presentation on the bad news. In one year’s time, the crowd was told, Grafton no longer would be able to maintain the level of school services that residents come to expect. […]
The Roadmap Part 1: How to Avoid an Override.
“Ed,” she said. “I heard that they’re going to try and paint you as the override candidate.” “What?” “Yeah,” she continued. “Because you support schools.” I let this information wash over me. It felt as though I was being told I was the anti-environmental candidate because I drive my car to work every day. “These […]
Wing and Prayer: Summarizing the School Budget Presentation
For two hours on Wednesday, the Finance Committee was presented by Grafton Superintendent Jay Cummings with a litany of school budget cost increases well in excess of the 2.5% we are allotted under Proposition 2.5. Some of those cost increases were strikingly large. And yet, to a person on a Finance Committee filled with budget […]
Introducing: The Roadmap
Election season officially begins today with the closing of the submission of nomination papers to the Clerk’s Office, so it is time for candidates for selectman to starting getting serious with voters about what they’ll do if elected. The following is the beginning of my detailed plan forward. Thank you for taking the time to […]
I Stand With Grafton Teachers
Wait! Hear me out! A year ago, as some of you may recall, there was a kerfuffle involving the teacher contract being negotiated by the Grafton Teacher’s Association and the school committee. Among other issues being debated, was the negotiated percentage increase in the cost of living adjustment (COLA) allocated in the agreement. I took […]
Learning is Fine. Leading is Better.
I am running for Grafton Selectman because I’m ready to lead us through what likely will be a difficult next few years. Four years ago this month, I was learning, along with the rest of you, that as of fiscal year 2015, Grafton would no long have enough money to maintain what the Superintendent had […]
