Town Election Monday, May 3
The Winchendon Town Election will be held on Monday, May 3 in the second floor auditorium of the Old Murdock Senior Center, 52 Murdock Avenue, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. There is an elevator available. Information provided to the Courier by candidates appears below. (The Courier was not able to reach Lionel Cloutier, who is running for re-election to the Board of Health, or Nancy Romanowski, who is running for the Housing Authority board, by press time.)
Tina M. Santos
Board of Health
How long have you lived in Winchendon?
My husband I moved here in 2004.
What inspired you to run for the Board of Health?
I have been very active in my community throughout my years living here in Winchendon and am looking forward to putting the health and safety of our residents as a priority as a member of thr Board of Health.
What skills and experience will you bring to the Board of Health?
I am a caring, people person, and willing to go that extra mile. I have volunteered on several town boards and programs, such as Recreation Commission, Cultural
Council, Womens Auxiliary Legion Member.
Since my children were in Preschool, I have volunteered in and helped raise funds for our schools, held several titles in the school PTOs, help with field days and other events, ran the Murdock middle school store. Coordinated and raised funds in order to install fencing, upgrade the playground area and swings at Toy Town Elementary school (Project Playground) I also help with Recreational/Babe Ruth softball league and Murdock Varsity softball here in Winchendon.
What health-related issues do you feel Winchendon most needs to address?
We need to focus on and work on mental health. Many people have been affected due to the Covid pandemic. Bereavement, isolation, loss of income and fear are triggering mental health conditions.
What do you see as the greatest health-related challenges faced by Winchendon in the next three years? How will you help the Board of Health deal with them?
Suicide prevention. I will work with community to bring more awareness.
I also feel as though we need to help domestic violence individuals and/or families by providing them with the local resources, program information and services that is available to them. We need to help guide them with a safe place to stay, away from the violent situation.
Thank you so much for your support! :)
Barbara L. Anderson
Board of Selectmen
My name is Barbara Anderson and I have lived in Winchendon for almost 30 years. I was originally drawn to town because of the fun atmosphere and tight knit community. I felt this was a great place to raise my family. I have always followed local politics and became politically active in 2015, as the unrest and dissatisfaction in town grew. I first ran for the Board of Selectmen in 2015, and won with the support of the Stand Up For Toy Town political action committee. I strongly believe that local government should serve and protect the residents and businesses in the community, but a local government is only as good as the residents that are willing to serve. I have decided that I would love the opportunity to serve for 1 more term, so that I can continue working on projects and issues that have yet to be completed and/or resolved.
I am a retired History teacher, with a minor in political science. I am knowledgeable about how town government works; I have 6 years experience on the Board of Selectmen, and remain actively engaged with state and national leadership. I know how to advocate for my community and garner support, and try to remove some of the burden off the tax payer base. I am always available to listen to residents when they have concerns, or complaints; and I am more than happy to advocate for them.
I still think that Winchendon’s greatest strength is our sense of community. We have so many people that are willing to volunteer their time and energy to work for the common good. I have seen this town weather some pretty serious storms, and we always stick together and work out a solution that helps everyone. We have so many amazing features in town, and so many fabulous people who are willing to work to engage the community in activities, events, and highlight the areas of interest.
Winchendon needs to continue to work on investing in the community. We need to be more inclusive and open to everyone. We need to encourage community participation and community engagement. We need to work harder at taking the burden off the tax payers by encouraging more business opportunities and applying for more state and federal funding. We have a crumbling infrastructure in dire need of upgrading and we cannot, in good conscience, expect to just increase taxes and fees to make that happen.
I am very proud to have had the opportunity to serve the Town of Winchendon for the past 6 years, and am looking forward to facing the challenges that await us in the next 3. I would love to see some new faces step up and begin serving in various capacities as well. I feel like it is too easy to get stale and unmotivated and fresh voices and perspectives are always welcome.
Danielle R. LaPointe
Board of Selectmen
How long have you lived in Winchendon?
I moved to Winchendon during a blizzard when pregnant with my second child...and she's going to be 16 in less than a month!
What inspired you to run for the Board of Selectmen?
It is time.
When I became politically active in town seven years ago, it was because of my strong belief that if you want to complain you must be willing to do. As a town resident I was dissatisfied and concerned with many ways in which our town was being led, and I worked very hard with others to make leadership changes. Believing that I must also be willing to do, that involved serving on our school committee. I would have liked to serve on the Board at that time, but I simply felt I was not ready for that yet, having far too much to learn to be able to serve well. During my term on the Committee, I had two more children--yes, bringing the total up to five! Having three pre-teen/teenagers, a toddler, and an infant, while working and going to law school full-time meant I had to prioritize. I was doing everything, but nothing well, and something had to come off my plate for a while. So, when I left the Committee, it was with the promise to serve again when the time was right.
Now is that time. The kids are getting a little bit older, life is settling some, and I have more capacity. In all honesty, I ideally would have liked to wait just one more year. I will be finishing my degree in December and sitting for the Bar the following February, so running in 2022 would have been the perfect timing for me. But I see town residents' discontent and concern now. I am nothing if not an advocate--my activism seven years ago helped me to discover that my passion is for helping citizens use their voices and power. Perception is reality, and the perception out there--whether factually-based or not--seems to be that we have once again strayed away from open, honest, transparent communication in the workings of our town government. I demand nothing less that that.
I also see the need to bring us back to striving for balance. The Board is here as the CEO of our town, with each member chosen by our residents as a representative of all of us. The Board's job is not to be “yes men”-- not to a town manager and not to residents. I believe the Board's job is to work diligently to oversee and be sure our decisions and actions are best serving both aspects of our town – being fiscally, ethically, and socially responsible as it pertains to running a municipal government/budget, while at the same time making sure our residents' needs are being best served. Board members cannot and should not be "yes men," and they also most certainly should never be starting from a place of no. Board members must always, always, openly and transparently consider the stance of residents--even when that might be uncomfortable.
I guess that's a long way to say that the time is now to bring transparency and openness back to our local government, and I am one of the people to make that happen.
What skills and experience will you bring to the Board?
My varied experiences both professional--customer service, project management, emergency services, substitute, paraprofessional, health insurance, legal services, real estate, mediation--and personal--college, law school, PAC leadership, School Committee, married homeowner, divorced single mother renter, stay at home parent, working parent, stay at home/working parent, dual incomes, single income, doing okay money-wise, wondering where mortgage/rent payments would come from, commuting for work, working locally, being healthy, having health challenges...I could go on, but I won't... All of these experiences have only served to fine-tune my skills beneficial to this role, particularly leadership, communication, empathy and compassion, negotiating, delegating, and prioritizing. I am determined to use these particular skills to my advantage and work to bring communication, transparency, openness, understanding, and compromise to the forefront of the Board's efforts.
What do you see as Winchendon's greatest strengths? What do you see as the areas most in need of improvement?
Winchendon has such a great love of our heritage and history, and I find us to be a resilient and adaptable town. I see a desire to keep that love strong, but to do that there has to be an effort to get buy-in, from both residents and our officials alike. To get that we really need to focus on strategy, information-sharing, education, and advocacy of the various projects we feel are desired and important. We can't just keep saying we need more money so we can do xyz, we have to really show why, how, and what can be expected to come of it. The second, and almost more important piece to getting there, is to make sure we think about how we're marketing ourselves--both residents and public officials. We need to make sure those people in our elected and appointed positions are truly advocates for Winchendon. While there are certainly areas for improvement in Winchendon--there always will be--we absolutely need our spokespeople in whatever capacity to be stewards for our town, not naysayers. If we focus on these things--no small feats, I realize--I believe we can get much more community involvement, a broader presence, and accomplish so much.
What do you see as the greatest challenges faced by Winchendon in the next three years? How will you help the Board of Selectmen deal with them?
In my mind this and the previous questions are grouped together. I think one of our greatest, most pressing challenges, is to get that buy-in and community involvement so we can start heading where we need to go. I see infrastructure as an integral part of this. How do we address our private buildings, our public buildings, our roads, our essential services, our various initiatives, and do that within our budget and not creating an excessive burden on our residents, particularly while dealing with a pandemic economy?
I am excited to continue work that a couple others have only recently started, for example, with an emphasis on grant opportunities and working with our state representatives to make sure Winchendon gets and stays on the funding map. I am a vocal advocate, and I will continue to do that here--by researching, asking questions, working through scenarios, and not just simply accepting the status quo.
What else would you like the voters of Winchendon to know?
I will always be interested in and want to hear what you have to say. I may not always agree with you, but I will always respect your right to have your opinion and advocate for your position. I will always do what I can to stay open-minded and find a way to best serve everyone's needs, with a balanced approach whenever possible. And I will always, always, share information and the basis for my decisions.
Ryan G. Forsythe
School Committee
How long have you lived in Winchendon?
My wife, three children, and I have lived in Winchendon for just under 10 years. We moved here from Tennessee in 2011.
What inspired you to run for a seat on the Winchendon School Committee?
I believe in the power of education and want to serve my community. Serving as a school committee member will allow me to support the students, families, school system, and teachers of Winchendon, while giving back to my hometown.
What skills and experience will you bring to the School Committee?
I have worked with youth-serving educational programs for years. I have run a youth leadership camp, worked with numerous school districts on unique academic and extra-curricular programs, and other educational programming. I have dedicated my career to helping students and families enroll in and complete college at institutions like Mount Wachusett Community College and Worcester State University, while supporting students' selections of varied paths after high school. In my work, I manage budgets and projects that often involve the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education, Department of Higher Education, and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, among other public and private educational organizations. I hope to put these skills and experiences to work with the other school committee members to contribute to our school system and enhance student experiences.
What do you see as the Winchendon school district's greatest strengths? What do you see as the areas most in need of improvement?
The greatest strength of the Winchendon school district is its people. The students, families, teachers, and staff of the Winchendon Public Schools are the lifeblood of the town and the future of our community. The dedication and pride of the people in the schools are worthy of celebration.
The most immediate need is to get students back to in-person learning safely. With the pandemic coming to a close, it is time for students to learn in-person for their academic, social, and emotional well-being. Students are beginning to return to the school buildings now and should return safely and completely before next year.
Equally as important is the need to assure that students have the academic programs and academic support services needed for success. Strong core academic curriculum and resources, access to the arts, athletics, opportunities for advanced coursework, special education supports, and more contribute to progress for students and the district.
What do you see as the greatest challenges faced by the School Committee in the next three years? How will you help the School Committee deal with them?
At the school committee level, the greatest challenge is the district's fiscal health. Inequities in school funding exist and state funding is inadequate. New and creative solutions are needed to assure that the students of Winchendon receive the comprehensive and effective education that they deserve.
What else would you like the voters of Winchendon to know?
I have never run for any type of public office before (this is all very new!); however, in another lifetime as a high school student, I was on the school committee of my alma mater. I am looking forward to getting back to the great work that school committees do to provide high quality education to students. I hope everyone will consider casting their vote on May 3rd, between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm, at the Old Murdock Senior Center. Thank you.
Keith M. Kent
Board of Health
How long have you lived in Winchendon?
My dear and better half Jennifer Smith and I moved to our Mason Street home in March of 2014. Jennifer previously growing up in town helped her family manage Smith's Country Cheese for nearly 20 years, and wanted to stay in Winchendon. We moved back to this historic community and found a beautiful home with which to grow together that we truly appreciate and enjoy. I am very thankful to have her support in public service.
What is inspiring you to run for re-election to the Board of Health?
The Board of Health is extremely important to me as public health serves the greater good in such an incredible variety of ways. Our community, our children who are our priceless next generation of leaders, trying to aid in keeping people healthy, their homes healthy, being productive, positive, and able to help serve others before self which is a key part of my religious belief, mean more to me than any words can say. It's my hope to be able to continue to give back to our community, with positivity and dedication to public health with the support of our fellow community members.
What skills and experience do you bring to the Board of Health?
When I was first granted the privilege of serving the town and Board of Health, I felt I had no business working at the capacity of a public health member without obtaining some level of education. I earned my Certificate in Public Health, which was offered by both the Boston University School of Public Health and the Local Public Health Institute of Massachusetts. While just scratching the surface of public health, it greatly aided my knowledge and helped me to see things in perspectives I had not imagined. Our Health Agent James Abare who has been serving our town for some two decades, informed me I was the first elected member he could think of to obtain that certification. It's now my goal to earn a cert in Emergency Management for emergency shelters. I would like to thank our Health Agent for letting me shadow him on many inspections to help increase my understanding of how things work and what to look for. Lastly there are 30 certificates obtained in the National Incident Management System "NIMS" in the ICS 100 through 800 level.
What health-related issues do you feel Winchendon most needs to address?
Winchendon in my humble opinion needs to work hard stopping the illegal dumping of trash and waste, and has an extensive problem with people who walk their dogs and do not pick up after them. One gram of dog waste can yield up to 23 million fecal coli-form bacteria. This year so far, I have sadly removed over 160 piles of dog waste left behind on just the first 3/4 miles of our beautiful bike and walking path. It bothers me deeply that little children who by nature learn through touching things are exposed to this public health hazard, let alone adults.
What do you see as the greatest health-related challenges faced by Winchendon in the next three years? How will you help the Board of Health deal with them?
One of our towns greatest challenges we face over the next three years is how we continue as a people and a community deal with the future challenges of of COVID-19. While many are seeking vaccination, this virus will continue to mutate as it currently is and not just go away as with all viruses. We need to be to be more tolerant of our mutual differences of opinion, and learn to talk and listen to each other better. There will always be another virus, another strain. It biological world history. We all also need to do our part and pitch in with keeping our town clean. If you see something, please pick it up. We must address cutting back on roadside waste. I see so many homes where people won't even pick up trash in front of their residence. While to much personal pride is a bad thing, pride in your community can be a great thing. We also need to be conscious of the air quality in our schools and continue to monitor it closely as time goes on. These structures are not a fine wine, and will not improve with age.
What else would you like the voters of Winchendon to know?
In closing I want our residents to know I ask for your support in our upcoming election, and please help me so I can continue to help you. There is no I in team, and together our many tiny shovels can and will move mountains! We are all in the game of life together, and share the same space. We all have something to offer. Even if you don't vote for me, please come out and vote, because for that very right, all gave some, and some gave all.
Shauna B. LaPointe
School Committee
How long have you lived in Winchendon?
I have lived in Winchendon since 1989 and attended Winchendon public schools for all of my k-12 education.
What inspired you to run for a seat on the Winchendon School Committee?
As an educator and parent, I wanted to be more involved in the local schools.
What skills and experience will you bring to the School Committee?
I would bring a variety of educational experiences to the table. I started in education as an elementary teacher but have taught up through 8th grade. Currently, I am an instructional coach working with teachers and educational leaders to enhance learning experiences for students. I teach five graduate courses for Fitchburg State in the middle and high school masters program.
What do you see as the Winchendon school district's greatest strengths? What do you see as the areas most in need of improvement?
The greatest strength of the Winchendon public schools is the teachers and paraprofessionals. They work tirelessly to educate the students of Winchendon.
As an outsider to the schools, I can not say what needs improvement yet. As a parent, I have only had wonderful experiences at Memorial School. No system is perfect, and there is always room for improvement, but joining the school committee would allow me to share my voice as an educator and community member.
What do you see as the greatest challenges faced by the School Committee in the next three years? How will you help the School Committee deal with them?
The greatest challenge of the school committee in the next few years will be dealing with the post-pandemic changes in education. State-level funding allocations will not be the same as before the pandemic. Additionally, there is a pending retirement opportunity that could lead to many open positions. The committee needs to enable the schools to be competitive in the hiring process to secure highly qualified candidates. As someone knowledgeable about current educational trends and needs, I will collaborate as a school committee member to understand educational implications.
