You are Welcome

to the writer who asked the question you are certainly welcome. i will add more info if anyone wants me to. i agree with you about having this type of info on the other candidates too. they are welcome to write in here if they want to. i promise to respect their space and not to change or block anything they may want to say. unless something unforseen or offensive ( which i'm sure wouldn't happen given the field). hahaha i couldn't block it if i tried only the basics on this blog.... i heard what the other person said about my show on cable. my schedule and that of my husband has changed a lot. i really liked that show and i hope to get back to it but you gotta do what you gotta do. as for only having mike mullins on that is not true. i had gary machaby a former selectman, margie kelly of kelly auctions, chris golden of the school comittee, mike yunits and i'm not sure if there were any more. i didnt'write them down but you get the idea i hope. soon i will write about what i hope to accomplish going forward for holbrook. it is nice to list the past attempts and accomplishments for the new people and those that forgot but we're really looking for someone to lead us forward. right?

exactly what financial gain?

sorry i didn't see that last post until after i sent the last one. i'm curious what financial gain would you be thinking about? many people have asked me each year are you going to run? each time the answer was," not until i have completed all the things my family and businesses need me to complete". i got quizicle stares but now you see what i mean. this year i am running because the stakes are too high and too far reaching to sit aside. i always believed and still do that you can't complain about something if you're not willing to try and fix it. my life has already been impacted enough by wrong decisions by some town officials. i can't stand by and let even worse ones be made. i am honestly asking you to say what you are talking about. don't worry you are annonymous remember? ps i'm not mad at the question. i welcome the chance to clear the air.

Now to Mr or Mrs Nasty

i find it weird that you are trying to use my own words against me. i stand by every word i've written and if i sometimes misspell or whatever get over it. i use my name, answer my critics and have absolutely no problem with sincere inquiries by interested and intelligent people who want to know something. you on the other hand have probably never done one thing to benefit someone other than you . i have answered the same stupid thoughts you brought up. it was probably you who asked before i bet. once and for all we sold the pastures in feb of 1998 to family golf from new york. mr mullins bought the property in july of 2000 from the Klaff co in chicago.. we had nothing to do with it as far as money goes since feb of 1998.... do i want to have my flower shop in old english square when it is built YES!!!!!!!! we have developed that spot for 30 years. excuse me if i don't want to lose it to someone else. to the other annonymous who told me to be careful, thank you for caring. i know most people are really thoughtful and kind. it's too bad we can't have kranky land to send nasty people like the other one to. since we don't you just gotta deal with them as best we can. you asked about the fund raising idea for the schools so i'll tell you . there isn't any money yet but there will be soon. we've gotten some commitments from some interested parents and officials. just like many other things it takes some effort to get off the ground. something i';m sure you have no idea about. please feel free to visit the new website. it's not finished yet but it is up... go to www.bulldogsbuyingclub.com soon it will be active for sales. then when we deliver the checks are you going to appologize and participate?? no, of course you won't ; people like you never do.

The Response That Was Asked For

I will start by answering the sensible anonymous writer first. You asked why you should vote for me. that is an easy one. I do have experience in solving problems like the ones we face right now. For example when i first got involved in town government i got on the finance committee and we were almost immediately faced with a 1.6 million dollar shortfall. the problem arose from double spending on the sewer account which is one of those accounts that are not scrutinized by the fin com, or seen at town meeting, and is one of the things i'd like to correct. as a matter of fact i tried to get the assessors to do just that about 3 or 4 years ago. anyway that was a very difficult time and it required leadership from the more experienced members as well as cooperation from all concerned. we compromised, trusted each other by being entirely open, and honest with each other and it all worked out although it did take years to recover from that one. one more thing, we had to be really tough with all dept heads who wanted money to run their depts. we could have pointed fingers and made rotten remarks but that would have been counterproductive. for the next five years i worked diligently on fin com and learned where all the money comes from and goes to in the whole town budget. then i got elected to the board of selectmen. at that time holbrook was even more of a laughing stock than we are now. the board had restraining orders on each other, there were members who sued each other, had papers served at meetings, you name it . i sat between 2 members who were angry at each other and i believe just being like cartilage and a buffer zone between them allowed cooler heads to prevail. at the same time, we were faced with new contract negotiations and due to my experience and the experience of Joanne Koval who also had served on fin com we did something new which was to actually project the money that would be expected for the next five years. that allowed us to bargain in good faith using real numbers and guess what? because the bargaining units knew we had solid reasons and figures to back them up, we settled on an unheard of contract with 0% !% and 3% if i remember correctly. at another time we had to use retroactive raises but again we were being honest and truthful and they worked with us. i have been hoping someone would ask about why a person who has already been a selectman might be a good candidate. some people think just because i've been here a long time that i might be one of those obstructionists. well i'm not and i'll prove it. i might forget some things so it might need to be revisited again as i remember things but here are some of the things i worked for and advocated for - for holbrook. i was the selectman that attended most other board meetings and kept the others updated. consequently it was me who stood before town meeting and tried to push for the over 55 housing that was to be built off rt 139 near the abington line. the obstructionists just couldn't get their small minds around that one. it took 2 years and by the time they thought it was ok 1 partner died and the other had a heart attack. as you can see no over 55 up there even now. i believed that the gentleman who came to some selectman's meetings to try to get us to let him put wireless receivers on telephone poles so anywhere in the square and some other areas too would have wireless connections for free. gee, do you think maybe we would attract some great small or even large businesses with something like that? i did too, but not the obstructionists.- speaking of the square, we had that project going on or trying to get started i should say, and the utilities were all pointing fingers at each other and holding things up until i demanded that they all show up for a joint walk thru and planning sessions where they worked together. at first they were angry but after just the first one we made great progress and they looked forward to the next one and the next until it was running smoothly. we did have a committee that worked hard on it too but it took a leader to take control and get them moving. my only regret on that one is not getting under ground utilities. it almost happened but continental cable had just strung new wires and we would have had to get very large betterments from landowners in the square. when i first got elected we were paying pretty big bills for engineering. i found out that we could get free services from Norfolk County. i was told strongly that it was not true but i knew better and as you may know we use them with great success to this day. maybe someone should add up all the fees we haven't paid just on that one alone. oh ya, and speaking of the County every year i got us at least a couple thousand dollars ( usually $3,000) as i remember for the recreation dept.not one child had to pay tuition when i was selectman. i am very proud of that. my general attitude was and still is that we pay enough in taxes around here, we should get some services. just so it's very clear that i am not in the obstructionist camp the planning board and i (as the selectman's representative) brought forward the idea of the cell towers. we got the info from other towns that were successful in getting them and also in conjunction w/ sen michael morrissey's office we brought this idea and an article to town meeting but again the obstructionists held it up just long enough for st joseph's to get it. that alone would have netted the town over 1 million dollars over 20 year life of the towers. i could go on but i'm afraid it's getting too long. there is more time and i never really liked tooting my own horn. sometimes you have to though.

Feb 18th 2008

Today we celebrate our most loved president's birthdays. why do you think we still hold them in such high regard? i think it's because they always remembered what they were supposed to be doing. they didn't get too into the minute arguments and heated debates that consumed some of the citizenry. they realized that there were really big things that had to be taken care of if this great country was to survive. holbrook is very small compared to the whole country of course but it is all we have. if there is one thing i hope we get out of this race for selectman this time i hope we can focus on our problems and how to solve them and also on the great things we have and how to preserve them. i realize that we are in need of money and we need upgrades to schools, roads, equipment, and most of all our atititudes. please don't jump in panic one way or the other. a friend of mine says haste makes waste. it always agravated me when he said it but it is so true. we need to move there is no doubt about it but once we do we cannot go back. i honestly believe that if we send a message to the selectmen to do some more due diligence before signing anything on the trash transfer station we can get a solution that will be good for holbrook and will serve us well for years to come. did anyone see in this past weekends paper that Braintree, Quincy, and Weymouth are looking to join together for their trash needs? What if Holbrook, Randolph, and Avon either joined them or did the same thing? We own the land at 3 phillips rd. Who says we need someone else to run the transfer station? has the board even talked to hanover or any other town that runs one in house? we have the rail line and could get rid of it as easily as HELP could . if you look at their proposal and calculate how much money we will actually get under the present draft of the contract, i think anyone would really pause and scratch their head. when you take into consideration the indirect costs involved such as reduction in property values for this whole section of town, which will result in less taxes, the wear and tear of the roads, and the loss of quality of life for a large segment of citizens, there must be a very large amount of money comming in to offset that set of circumstances. i'm not looking to demonize mr walsh or bill merrigan or anyone else; we just have a long way to go before we can say that this is actually good for us in the long run. in a paniced state any amount of money is more than what we have, that is true, but true leaders don't panic. they work and work until they are sure they've done the very best they can do; then and only then will we get the best result for holbrook.

Election Time Is Coming

On tues feb 12th i took out papers for the board of selectmen's race. they had to be in by 5 pm with at least 50 registered voters signatures on them. they were turned in by 4pm with 76. most if not all were people i know are actually registered. i decided to run this year because i believe my talents and experiences in town government are needed for the circumstances Holbrook finds itself in right now. we have many issues that need attention. the trash transfer station is the most obvious one but not the only one. i will admit this is issue is the one that made me take the plunge though. i asked questions of rick mcgauhey and others and the answers i got were not good enough for me to feel like they would take care of all the details and serious considerations that are sure to come up. some of these are regarding safety, quality of life issues for homeownwers and business property owners near the proposed site. even more importantly to the people who live in other areas of town and feel like they won't be affected, but who want the revenue it is supposed to bring; i'm not hearing any assurances that we will get enough revenue to make it worth having.
another issue that should concern you as it does me is we will have an election with a non binding referendum question on it. mr mcgaughey and mr currie told yvonne wright that it didn't matter what the result of the election was they were going forward anyway. that didn't surprise me ( although that in itself isn't right) but the next day mon feb 11th he told me that if the election said the people didn't want it they wouldn't do it.. which is it? i think it is time for some straight forward, positive direction around here. you may not like what i say sometimes but you can be sure what i say is what i mean. we have a month and a half to get as much clarification as possible on all the issues facing holbrook. i hope to have an open and ongoing discussion with anyone who wants to do so. i will respect your right and responsibility to ask the questions and i hope you will listen and consider the answers as you make your decision on who to vote for this April 1.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

This is the first Valentines Day in 31 years that i have not been running around bringing cupid's messages of love in the form of roses and flowers to people all over town and everywhere else. It is strange but next year we'll be back full force. Hopefully by then we can be in Old English Square in a beautiful new shop. i'm reallly looking forward to that.

NOTICE informational meeting on transfer station

THERE WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING REGARDING THE TRASH TRANSFER STATION
ON FEB 7TH @ 7:PM AT ST JOHNS CHURCH HALL. This hall is at the back and downstairs of the church. For those who don't know where it is go to the corner of king rd by the police and fire station and head down the hill toward the grove. take the first left into the parking lot. the hall is plenty big enough for a good amount of people. this is the time to ask the questions and evaluate the answers for yourself. i am glad the proponents have scheduled this meeting. tell anyone you know who is concerned about this issue. it doesn't matter whether you are for or against or you haven't made up your mind. this is the biggest thing to hit holbrook since baird and maguire. with that nasty subject we had no control over it being here or not, is just was, due to the lack of oversight on the part of the officials that were supposed to be doing their jobs. with this one we can and should get the clearest picture possible BEFORE we have it ... or don't have it. it is up to each person to evaluate whether or not you want it. if you don't get the info and don't express yourself you'll have no one to blame but yourself. so... see you there and bring your questions and keep your eyes ears and minds open. if anyone needs a ride feel free to call 781 767 1079 and a ride will be arranged for you. leave a message