editor

Our town is about to embark on a journey with many changes in this next year. We will have hired an interim Town Administrator (TA) then a permanent TA. At the April 3rd BOS meeting, Selectman Wixted voiced concerns that it will be stressful for the residents and town staff during this period to endure so much change. I agree. We will also have a Select Board with 3 members with minimal experience and two brand new

Now let’s think about why we should return Fred George to Town Moderator for another term. Fred has been an active member of town government for over 30 years. His opponent has no elected or appointed experience and is an infrequent attendee at the Annual Town meeting. Fred has successfully led us through many Town Meetings that were contentious and peaceful, that went past 11pm or ran over 3 nights. He led us through changes caused by the pandemic, remaining steady at the podium, even as the wind threatened to blow canopies across the field.

The Town Moderator is also the appointing authority for the Appropriations Committee and 3 of the 6 members of our Financial Planning Committee. These committees advise and make recommendations on financial matters at Town Meeting as well as work alongside our TA and fiscal staff throughout the budget process. It’s no coincidence that we made it through

Ryan Maloney, owner

A Wise Widow

Champagne from the famous French wine region of France is quite different today from what it was at the beginning of the 19th Century. In those days, the wine was sweet, cloudy, and contained large bubbles. The 27-year-old Veuve (widow in French) Clicquot took over the management of her husband’s failing wine business. She felt that clearer wine would sell better and developed an A-frame rack with holes to hold wine bottles slanting downward. By rotating the bottles periodically by a quarter turn (a process called riddling), the yeast sediment settled near the cork and could be removed altogether at the end of the second fermentation. Wines made this way were dry, clear, and contained tinier bubbles.

JULIO’S LIQUORS has an extensive selection of wines from all over the globe. We offer exciting choices of complexity and individuality that are competitively priced. We want our customers to feel confident in their selections and encourage them to try new and unique wines. In addition to having one of the largest selections of product, we offer customers a unique shopping experience with our Angel Share Tasting Room, which has 40 wines on tap all the time. Stop by our 20,000 square foot space at 140 Turnpike Rd., Rt. 9 East. PH: 508-366-1942

HINT: In 1968, a gyropalette was patented to mechanize riddling. Instead of weeks of intensive hand labor, riddling can now be done in large batches in about seven days.

If the pandemic in good financial shape. It’s no coincidence that we enjoy a stellar bond rating.

Please consider joining me in voting for the best candidate, Fred George, for Town Moderator on May 9th.

Fran Bakstran Northborough

Vote YES to Limit Engine Braking in Hudson to Protect the Town

The Town of Hudson like so many local towns has experienced an increase in traffic including a particular spike in the number of large tractor trailer trucks. And many of these trucks are now traveling through residential neighborhoods as they try to avoid the congestion of the rotary downtown or of back-ups on Route 495/290. And with this additional traffic comes a disruption in the peace and quiet of many Hudson residents.

Article 33 on the Annual Town Meeting Warrant will prohibit non-emergency use of engine brakes on roads maintained by the Town. Engine braking (also known as “Jake braking” after the developer of the Jacobs Brake) is a common practice for semis and diesel trucks. It uses the engine to slow down the truck instead of just relying on the brakes which causes the vehicle to make a loud “growling” or “jackhammer” like exhaust noise adversely affecting the public health and safety of many residents.

Please vote YES on Article 33 and help your fellow Hudson residents who have to deal with this increased truck traffic and noise. We have nothing against truckers or the companies they work for but we would like them to have more respect for the residents of Hudson. Article 33 will remind truckers to be more courteous and respectful when they travel through our neighborhoods. We need to preserve the well-being and quiet environment of our neighborhoods and stop this noise pollution and protect our property values.

This proposed By-Law is patterned exactly after the ByLaw in Berlin, MA that was approved at their Spring 2022 Town Meeting and subsequently approved by the MA Attorney General. Similar By-Laws can be found in nearby Northboro as well as in Athol, Ayer, Boxford, Cambridge, Chicopee, Hingham, Holyoke, Leicester, Longmeadow, Northampton, Norwell, Salem, Sherborn, Springfield, Templeton, West Tisbury and more.

Specializing in custom design, redesign and refurbishing precious family heirlooms into pieces to be shared & cherished for generations.

Stephanie G offers convenient online shopping of their jewelry showcase at StephanieGJewelers.com.

Elizabeth S. Brown Hudson, MA

Dear Editor

Nine years ago I and several other then present and former Town Officials signed a letter endorsing Scott Duplisea in his campaign for a seat on the Hudson Select Board. I signed that letter because I believed at the time that Scott was the best candidate to promote progress in Hudson while maintaining a balanced, collaborative, and creative approach to the town’s governance.

Looking at how the Town has prospered over those nine years, I feel certain that my belief at the time was well founded. Critical improvements have been made to the Town’s infrastructure, management of the Town’s workforce has been civil and harmonious, and the transformation of the downtown commercial district has been nothing short of miraculous. As an early supporter of the downtown Business Improvement District, and with his extensive experience and knowledge, Scott is the perfect representative of the Town government to sit on the district’s Board of Directors; a seat he occupies today.

On May 8 the voters of Hudson will have the chance to vote for Scott once again. This is an opportunity to continue the progress that Scott and his fellow Board members have made so that Hudson’s future is every bit as productive as the last nine years have been.

Paul Blazar Former Executive Assistant

To the Editor,

My name is Fred George, and I am running for re-election as Northborough’s Town Moderator.

I am running because I have a successful track record of conducting Town Meetings and appointing dedicated and qualified citizens to committees and boards as openings become available. I take the role of Moderator very seriously and have worked to gain more knowledge by interacting with Modera- tors from other municipalities throughout the Commonwealth while serving as President of the Massachusetts Moderators Association.

I have had the pleasure of serving as Town Moderator since 2003. It has been a wonderful experience as I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with many Northborough residents. The experience I have gained as Moderator has helped me to be prepared for situations that may occur in the Town Meetings. Each meeting is different and requires coordination with the Board of Selectmen, the Town Clerk, and the Town Administrator. A smooth meeting with a regular cadence is always the goal.

My education includes a bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology and a master’s degree in education, both from Alfred University (Alfred, NY). I have held management positions, at the corporate level, in Human Resources and Administration, and Finance Management.

I have lived in Northborough for over forty years. My wife, Virginia, and I have a grown son who is a product of the Northborough schools. I have been involved in fundraising efforts for many worthy causes in the community and have volunteered on efforts for celebrations and events to help bring the community closer together.

Today, the Town of Northborough is going through a leadership transition. The board of Selectmen is a good group, but the team is new. There will be a new Town Administrator soon. The leadership of the town will be in a learning curve. As Moderator, I have the experience, knowledge, and integrity to provide support to the leadership team of the town.

I would very much like to continue to serve as your Moderator and I ask for your vote Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

Fred George Northborough

Choose from hundreds of exquisite pieces online or in house ready for pickup or shipped gift wrapped.

Say what you will about Northborough’s former Town Administrator John Coderre, but you cannot argue with a decade of national distinguished budget awards, reduced debt levels and increased financial reserves. Whoever is selected to become Northborough’s next Town Administrator better have a similar mindset towards financial planning. I served on the Board of Selectmen and worked closely with John to understand how state budget allocations, man- datory obligations like OPEB and public bidding laws handcuffed our town. I watched, year after year, as John went toe to toe with state legislators about their failure to prioritize Ch. 90 and special education circuit breaker funding, among others. In answering questions from town members, I never observed John respond in any manner other than with honesty and respect. Now that he’s no longer our administrator, I hope to see him raising his colored card at town meeting and making comments at the public microphones. Despite leaving us for Foxboro, he remains a resident of this town; and I hope we continue to benefit from his insight.

Aaron Hutchins Northborough

Re-elect Fred George Northborough Town Moderator

I steadfastly support the reelection of Fred George as our Town Moderator May 9. Since first meeting Fred over 30 years ago as our town selectman and in his current role as moderator he has provided strong leadership skills, at town meeting and the appointments to the many town board positions. His longstanding experience provides the necessary qualities in this position.

With all due respect, we can ill-afford to replace this experience and outstanding record to this vital town post.

I strongly urge you to vote Fred George, Town Moderator.

Jon Lien Northborough

Vote for Joanne Stocklin, Northborough Town Moderator

Although I write this letter as a Northborough resident, my experience as Chair of the Planning Board has opened my eyes to the value of fresh perspective in town government. Especially as we enter this exciting time of new vision and renewed commitment to downtown revitalization.

That’s why I’m supporting Joanne Stocklin for Town Moderator. Most of us see the Moderator’s role as running the Annual Town Meeting but there are other important duties that we may not see. The Moderator makes appointments to several critical committees in town such as Appropriations and the Personnel Board. Fresh perspective brings the opportunities for new voices and faces appointed to these committees. It also opens the door to a more transparent appointment process where all candidates are fairly considered.

The new skillsets that Ms. Stocklin brings to the role could provide our town with a true advocate for a modernized, technology-enabled town meeting with electronic voting, instead of our paper voting process. Especially where we’ve seen razor sharp margins in the last few years on bylaw votes specifically, it’s important to advance our abilities to get an accurate count of every single vote.

As a leader for nearly 20 years in the public school system, Joanne has the right experience in leadership and management to help create a culture of inclusiveness and collaboration; chair and facilitate our most important meeting of the year; and help drive positive change in the town of Northborough.

I hope you’ll join me in voting for Joanne Stocklin for Town Moderator on May 9th at Melican Middle School.

Kerri Martinek Northborough

At a time when Northborough is undergoing significant change in town administration, it is critical to preserve leadership, experience, and institutional knowledge to assist and smooth that transition. Fred George’s long participation in, and deep understanding of, our town municipal government make him the uniquely qualified candidate to serve as our Town Moderator. Fred brings a combination of knowledge, experience, organization, temperament, and humor to the Moderator position, and his approach is strongly informed by his past service on the Board of Selectmen and the Personnel Board. Through the recent pandemic years, he offered sound judgment as to the timing and accommodations needed to safely conduct Town Meeting. In 2015, Fred and his spouse Virginia Simms George, an equally involved and accomplished contributor to our town, were selected as Applefest Grand Marshals in recognition of their dedication

Letters | 7

Letters | from page 5 and long records of valued service. Please join me on Election Day, Tuesday May 9, to re-elect Fred George as Northborough Town Moderator.

Jason Perreault Northborough

Re-elect Fred George Northborough Town Moderator

I have known Frederick George for 20 years and have supported his prior efforts running for Town Moderator. In my opinion, Fred has consistently done a fantastic job for our town.

The Moderator plays an important role in the overall town governance and is responsible for assisting in the planning of the annual town meeting, the posting of the warrant items, conducting the meeting, managing the questions and answers, motions, amendments and overseeing the actual voting process.

Depending on the scope of the warrant articles, questions and responses thereto, the annual town meeting can either be a very smooth process or a roller coaster event. Keeping to the agenda, fielding questions and responses and getting to a majority vote are challenging. When it comes to this, Fred George is a pro, an adaptive and effective meeting facilitator.

The Moderator is also responsible for appointing members to key boards and committees. These include, but are not limited to the: Appropriations Committee, Earthworks Board, Financial Planning Committee, Municipal Code & Bylaws Committee and the Personnel Board.

Fred brings considerable integrity, uncommon skills and years of experience to this elected position.

Fred is also member of the Massachusetts Moderators Association and frequently interacts with his counterparts from other towns on evolving issues of Massachusetts laws, town meeting preparation requirements, meeting conduct/ rules of order and the conduct of post-meeting reviews.

Our town is evolving: we face challenges from the turnover of elected town officials, the appointing of a new Town Administrator, the tax impacts from forthcoming large capital projects, the diminishing economic development and macro-economic events beyond our control.

Change can be good…but not just for the sake of change.

The future, newly-elected people that will inherit the reins in our town will have challenges and fiduciary responsibilities to the town and its people. They will need to effectively manage the town’s resources and need a trusted advisor to help guide them.

Northborough needs the continuity and trusted counsel of an experienced Moderator. Fred George is that person.

Re-elect Fred as Town Moderator.

John Rapa Northborough

To the Editor:

Within Northborough, Fred George has served in multiple roles, but most residents know him in his current incarnation as Town Moderator. Despite those who think the Moderator merely “chairs a meeting,” Fred has demonstrated the full range of duties that extend beyond the single night (or most years, multiple nights) of Town Meeting and the appointments he has made to critical municipal positions. He has served as a coordinating force between multiple boards, committees, and commissions; and operates as a mentor to committee members within Northborough. Across the Commonwealth, Fred has shared his expertise through the Massachusetts Moderators Association, helping other Moderators be successful as well. With Fred George, we have a candidate with established experience and expertise. I urge Northborough residents to vote for Fred on May 9th.

T. Scott Rogers Northborough

My name is Joann Sharp and I have been a resident of Northborough for 52 yrs.

We brought up our 4 daughters here and they all graduated from Algonquin Regional High School... We have always been supporters of businesses and the educational system. In all of that time I have never felt more compelled to submit a letter to the editor until today. Fred George is running for re-election as our Town Moderator... He has served this community with integrity, knowledge and dedication. He has the experience and skill set necessary to be an effective Town Moderator. Mr. George has an opponent, Joanne Stocklin who has resided in this community for about 23 years and in all of those years according to official town records never show her attending a Town Meeting.

So, please on Tuesday, May 9th, let’s go to the polls and re-elect Fred George, our Town Moderator... Thank you...

Joann Sharp Northborough

It occurred to me as I read your front page article about John Coderre’s departure to Foxborough that right now Northboro is losing a great deal of experience in key leadership roles. I hope that voters feel that Fred George’s commendable service in his role as Town Moderator should continue. Northboro voters can get behind this candidate whose intelligent, thoughtful approach to local government has been evident for years. On May 9, please vote to re-elect Fred George as Town Moderator.

Yours sincerely,

Loretta Williams Northborough

To the Editor: Pride. That’s the word that comes to my mind as I drive around Westborough this week. Anyone driving, biking, or walking in our town the past couple of weeks has surely noticed all the yellow bags full of trash lining the roadways, and also noticed how clean our town has become. That is the result of the efforts of the 400 wonderful volunteers who participated in this year’s annual Earth Day Litter Cleanup, organized by the Westborough Community Land Trust.

WCLT is an all-volunteer, non-profit group in Westborough. As the WCLT volunteer who organized this year’s effort, I feel so proud of how beautiful our town looks. I’m proud of the spirit of community shared by the people who gave their time to clean up. And I’m proud to live in a town where so many people take pride in their own values of volunteerism, personal responsibility, and environmental stewardship. Thank you to all of you!

In addition to the individuals and families who volunteered, I would like to express sincere appreciation to the many businesses and organizations who supported this effort in a variety of ways. Food for the volunteer picnic was donated by Arturo’s Ristorante, Roche Bros., Stop & Shop, and DoubleTree Hilton. Flower bouquets for volunteers were donated by Mugford’s Flower Shoppe. The Westbor- ough Department of Public Works donated the cleanup bags and collected the full bags. And the following clubs and businesses volunteered as a team to clean an area: Marvell Semiconductor, the Corridor 9 “HYPE 9” group, Eastern Dentists Insurance Company, Malvern Panalytical, Sika EMSEAL, Crossfit Prototype, CCR Wealth Management, DoubleTree Hilton, Westborough Civic Club, Westborough High School National Honor Society, Westborough Connects, Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Temple, Chapel of the Cross, residents of DelWebb Chauncy, Westborough Youth Lacrosse, Explorer Post 85, and 14 different Cub, Boy, and Girl Scout troops! Without these groups, this effort could not have taken place.

If you missed this year’s cleanup, it’s never too late to fill up a trash bag when you go for a walk! And next April, please go to WestboroughLandTrust. org to sign up for Litter Cleanup 2024!

Sincerely,

Janet Anderson WCLT Education Committee Chair