EAST LONGMEADOW – Residents of East Longmeadow will have the opportunity to head to the polls on June 4 to vote for individuals to fill three open seats on the Town Council. Running for the seats is current Town Council Chair Kathleen Hill, as well as residents Ralph Page and Patrick Henry. This race is not contested.

Reminder Publishing reached out to the three Town Council hopefuls to learn more about each of the candidates backgrounds, why they’re running, how they feel about the High School building concerns and what they believe to be the most important issues in town are. The following is a lightly edited question and answer interview that was performed with each candidate.

Reminder Publishing: Please share your background and experience and how it relates to a position on the Town Council.

Henry: I’m a 40-year Town resident. My 30 years with MassMutual gave me strong financial, contractual, and management experience.  I was an EL Jaycee for years, and a 35-year member and twice president of the East Longmeadow-based Exchange Club of Suburban Springfield – both of which familiarized me with the operation of boards and committees. I’ve been a voter registrar in Town for six years and currently serve as a member-at-large on the Council’s By-Law Review subcommittee. For the last two years, I’ve attended about two-thirds of the Council meetings in person as an observer.  That makes me very tuned into the issues and with the Council’s operations.

Hill: Prior to being elected to a three -year term on the Council in 2016, I served as a teacher and middle school principal in East Longmeadow for 21 years. The skill set a school leader uses is similar to that used by a member of the Council; budget development, understanding facilities needs, grant funding opportunities, labor relations, working with town department heads, interacting with local, regional, and state legislators and agencies, and interacting with local community and business leaders.  My work experience in education has equipped me with the appropriate tools to function competently as a Town Councilor.

Page: I am a resident of East Longmeadow, a Past Chairman of the East Longmeadow Planning Board, a five–year member of the Planning Board. I’m a member of the Home Rule Charter Commission, the past chairman of the East Longmeadow Community Preservation Committee. I’m the owner/operator of Page Landscaping located in East Longmeadow and the past President of East Longmeadow small business association. I’m also the Past Alternate to PVPC for East Longmeadow and current member of the Planning Matters subcommittee. I’m the past member of the open space and recreation committee, and a 1982 graduate of East Longmeadow High School. My past service and dedication to the change in town government along with my knowledge of finances derived from over 35 years operating my own business has prepared me for a seat on the Town Council.

Reminder Publishing: Why did you decide to run for Town Council?

Henry: When the new Charter was being voted on in 2006, critics warned that if the residents ignored the day-to-day workings of town government as they had in the past, the new structure wouldn’t work any better than the old one. I took that to heart, and began attending council meetings in person to observe the councilors and their interactions, and to become familiar with the issues. I made informal suggestions and critiques. I had really not planned to run for the office until recently, but I’ve been encouraged to run by friends, neighbors, and even some councilors. My financial, contracts, and management background should add value to the Council’s deliberations.  Being retired, I am willing, able and available to do the work of representing residents’ interests on the Council.

Hill: Simply stated, I love what I do.  The past three years has provided me the chance to get to understand the inner workings of our town government and to interact with my colleague councilors and our town employees who come to work each day dedicated to their jobs and doing their very best for the residents of East Longmeadow.  I am retired and have the necessary time needed to take on this very important position.

Page: I want to be a voice for the residents of East Longmeadow.

Reminder Publishing:  What do you feel are the most important issues facing East Longmeadow at this time?

Henry: The most important issues are not new: taxes, expenses and the budget.  According to the Mass DOR, East Longmeadow has the 20th highest tax rate in the whole state! We get a lot of services for that, but our streets are not in good shape, we need major renovations to our High School, and we have just created a pretty expensive emergency dispatch unit in Town. The state has passed a mandatory stormwater management law that is anticipated will cost the Town over $250,000 in fiscal 2020 alone. There is pressure from all sides to improve services like public safety, schools, streets, ball fields, and senior programming. But with many homeowners’ budgets stretched to the limit, we cannot fund everything we would like, and probably not even everything we really need.

Hill: In a general way, the most pressing issue facing East Longmeadow is the ability to offer the best of municipal services at the most fiscally conservative cost possible. We have responsibilities for a first rate education for our children, public safety services for all residents, being a responsible employer to 1,000+ employees, maintaining our roads, facilities, grounds and infrastructure, as well as being prudent guardians of our developed and undeveloped land.  That is a daunting task that requires time and talent to prioritize the community’s needs against what the Town can responsibly afford.

Page: The state of our Towns infrastructure, roads, schools, public buildings and fields. Public safety, taxes, and the cost of living; our tax rate is currently the 20th highest in the state.

Reminder Publishing:  What are your thoughts on East Longmeadow’s current high school and the push for a new high school by the School Committee and some residents?

Henry: The Town has applied for state funding for a new high school multiple times, and is applying again this year.  But because we are unwilling to disadvantage our students by letting the building crumble around them, the state keeps giving the precious funds to those communities whose school buildings are truly wretched. I don’t believe we’ll make the cut this year, either.  But the entire infrastructure of the school is very old and close to failing. I think we must do something very soon.  Without state aid, we may have to consider the option of bonding to renovate the high school ourselves.

Hill: As a career educator I will always support what is best for our children.  I also know that a quality educational experience is directly related to the expertise of administrators and teachers and not just the building alone. East Longmeadow High School is nearly 60 years old. Few debate the need for a new facility.  The School Committee has worked closely with the Town Council to support a Statement of Interest application to the MSBA for a new high school.  The challenge lies within the application process.  By statute the MSBA has a limited resource pool each year (1 percent of annual state sale tax receipts).  Combined with construction costs that rise 3 percent on average each year, a very limited number of applications can be invited into the eligibility process. At this point the best game plan is to stay the course and be hopeful for an invitation later this year.  For practicality purposes, once a school district is invited into the eligibility round, a number of steps follow including a ballot vote for an architectural study and later to bond for the cost of the project (at 55 percent state reimbursement). Historically this process, including construction time, takes 5-7 years.  

Page: I commend our School Committee for their devotion in seeking state aid for the school. This is an ongoing process, which started six years ago. The final decision must be one the town residents make with a vote.

Reminder Publishing:  What are your thoughts on how the Town Council is currently running? Is there anything you would work to change if you could?

Henry: I think our Town government has dramatically improved since the new Charter and the Council/Manager form of government was installed in 2006. But it’s still a work in progress, since it is very different from the old structure. Some residents seem to think that the Council simply replaced the selectmen, which is not true; the Town Manager replaced the selectmen. The Council replaced the annual Town Meeting. I respect all the Councilors, and I have generally agreed with most of the Council’s actions. But I do feel that the Council’s operations could be streamlined, and the interface with the Town Manager, the boards, and the subcommittees could be improved.

Hill: I want residents to understand that as a community we took a big step in 2016 when, as a town, we voted for a change in our government format.  Our Council is just three years young and we are working to provide an honest and transparent product for the benefit of our citizens.  Each of the current seven councilors brings a different experience and skill set to the table. We work professionally and collegially.  Each year we review our Council Rules, and based on our experiences, look for ways to improve our operational practices. Later this year, per our Town Charter, we will charge a Charter Review Committee with the task of recommending changes to our Charter language. To be fair, this first three years was a learning experience for the Town. I will work with the Charter Review Committee and my Council colleagues to make changes in the best interests of our residents.

Page: This is the fourth year since East Longmeadow Home Rule Charter was approved by the voters. The Town Council is consistently evolving and improving with each year. I do think there is always room for improvement and communication with the citizens is one of my priorities. Some simple adjustments such as not requiring citizens to sign up at Town Hall before a meeting would make a difference. I think residents should be able to sign up at the meeting location just prior to the meeting or the chairman could ask if anyone would like to speak during the public comment section.

Reminder Publishing:  Why should the residents of East Longmeadow vote for you?

Henry: My long history as a town resident and community servant, together with my financial and contracts expertise put me in a position to be a solid contributor to the Council. My dedication to the town is clearly reflected by my past service as voter registrar, and my continued attendance at Council meetings.  I know and respect the current councilors and have taken the time to understand the Charter.  Being retired, I am ready, willing, and able to devote the time and effort necessary to listen to and to represent the residents of East Longmeadow to help make our Town the best it can be.

Hill: In 1984 my husband and I intentionally built a home in East Longmeadow.  We raised a family here and plan to remain in town in our retirement. I am devoted to keeping East Longmeadow a town that offers its residents the amenities of suburban living at an affordable price.  I offer my three-year term of service as evidence of my commitment to doing what is fiscally and ethically right for our citizens. I have the passion and the time to continue in this capacity and will be honored to serve again, if re-elected.

Page: I am asking the residents to vote for me so I can be their voice and advocate.