Town Election
Monday May 1, 2023
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Old Murdock Senior Center, 52 Murdock Ave. 2nd Floor
Accessible via elevator. Call the Town Clerk's office at 978-297-2766 with questions or accessibility requests.
Candidate's Night Forum
Tuesday April 25, 2023, 7:00 p.m.
Town Hall, 109 Front St., 2nd Floor Auditorium
Come hear the candidates speak, meet them and have an opportunity to ask questions! Sponsored by Beals Memorial Library and The Winchendon Courier. Call the library at 978-297-0300 for more information. Auditorium is accessible via elevator.
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BOARD OF SELECTMEN Melissa S. Blanchard Edward W. Ford, Jr. Sharon LaRochelle |
SCHOOL COMMITTEE Michael Barbaro Karen E. Kast-McBride David A. LaPointe |
BOARD OF HEALTH Tina M. Santos |
HOUSING AUTHORITY Leston J. Goodrich, Jr. |
Town Election Candidate Questionnaires
As we have done in previous years, the Courier invited all the candidates in the upcoming Town Election to contribute their responses to a few questions about their candidacy. Their responses will be published in this week's and next week's edition, as they come in.
Tina Santos
Board of Health
How long have you lived in Winchendon?
20 years. In 2004, my husband and I bought a house and moved here to Winchendon.
What inspired you to run for another term on the Board of Health?
I enjoy helping my community and making a difference. I really enjoyed serving for my first term and am looking forward to another 3 years if elected. I enjoy working with people and love the fact I am helping my community members and helping to protect the health and well being of the public and Winchendon residents.
What unique skills and experience do you bring to the Board of Health as a member?
I am a go-getter, I am confident and not afraid to take action when needed. I am a huge advocate of communication and transparency. I feel it important to be honest and be responsible.
I have learned about state regulations, programs and services that the Board of Health members utilize and enforce. As a Board of Health member, we review and approve all food and tobacco permits for the town of Winchendon, the Board votes on Title V sewage variances, and enforcing the state regulations regarding housing.
What work have you done with the Board of Health that has been most rewarding? What has been the most challenging?
The Board of Health coordinates a town-wide cleanup where a dumpster is rented, organize and distribute supplies, and help by picking up litter and from our roadside. I love my town and take pride in it. I enjoy participating in the cleanup event as well as periodically picking up trash along my neighborhood throughout the year. I feel it is important to keep our town clean and a beautiful place to live.
I served my town on the Board of Health during the COVID pandemic and followed CDC guidelines to help to prevent community spread of COVID-19. During these challenging times, I helped coordinate and distribute masks at major events within town, including the Fall Festival and Town Meetings. I helped distribute COVID home test kits and communicated about vaccine clinics scheduled within our town.
What do you see as the greatest challenges faced by Winchendon in the areas of health and quality of life in the next three years? How will you help the Board of Health deal with them?
Food access and insecurities. I volunteer with HEAL Winchendon, a group of residents, youth leaders, schools, businesses and organizations dedicated to improve health and quality of life for Winchendon residents. Recently, I helped with the Taste of Winchendon event scheduled for May 13th from 12:00-4:00pm at the Beals Memorial Library. This is a town-wide, free event that focuses on addressing the needs of the community by celebrating and sharing the many cultures we have in town. There will be food, entertainment, vendors and activities.
What else would you like the voters of Winchendon to know?
I have lived in Winchendon for 20 years and have served on several boards in town (previously Chair of the Winchendon Recreation Commission, previously a member of the Winchendon Cultural Council) I volunteered in the Winchendon schools for many years, was the PTO President and coordinated fundraising for the Toy Town Elementary school playground and swings.
I hold the position of Clerk on the Board of Health, in which I am responsible for reviewing all tobacco and food permits, as well as reviewing invoices and presenting them to Board members at our monthly meetings.
I am the Auxiliary Unit President of the American Legion Post 193 here in Winchendon and enjoy helping our local Veterans.
I am a member of the Winchendon Garden Club. I maintain and take care of the flower beds at the G.A.R Park and Blair Square islands.
I am a mother of twin daughters and enjoy camping and watch my daughters play softball.
Thank you for your support, and I would greatly appreciate your vote in the May 1st Town Election for the Board of Health.
Final Town-Wide Read Social Issues Panel Looks at Substance Abuse
From left, moderator Shawn Hayden, panelists WPD Chief Dan Wolski, Jill Wooldridge, Amy Simmers-Swanson
Photo by Inanna Arthen
The fourth and final panel discussion in the Social Issues series organized by Beals Memorial Library explored the topic of "Substance Abuse" and was held on Saturday, April 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Clark Memorial YMCA. The Social Issues panels are part of the One Book One Community Town Wide Read which the Beals is sponsoring. The panels focus on social issues raised by the Town Wide Read book selection, Hey, Kiddo, an autobiographical graphic novel by Worcester, MA born and raised author and artist Jarrett Krosoczka. The first three panels in the monthly series addressed domestic violence, trauma informed care and mental health.
Panelists for the Substance Abuse forum were Winchendon Chief of Police Daniel Wolski, Jill Wooldridge from the office of Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, and local resident Amy Simmers-Swanson, an experienced parent of 8 children, guardian, and foster parent who has dealt extensively with families and children impacted by substance abuse. The panel was moderated by Shawn Hayden, Vice President of GAAMHA Inc. based in Gardner.
About 25 local residents and community leaders attended the panel, which was held in the Bud Fletcher Community Room at the Clark (a cheerful and light space which unfortunately has poor acoustics for this type of event, as it is designed to suppress the noise of many happy children at play). In a departure from previous panels, the audience chairs were arranged in a large semi-circle facing the panelists' table. This created a more intimate atmosphere for the discussion, which, as with the previous panels, included much personal sharing by the participants, both audience and panel members.
Prompted by Mr. Hayden, each panelist went in turns introducing themselves and explaining what they, and their affiliated agencies or organizations, do. Mr. Hayden, himself a person in recovery, oversees GAAMHA's Substance Use Disorder (SUD) programs. Under his leadership, GAAMHA has expanded to run eight Transitional Supportive Housing facilities, as well as outpatient therapy, recovery coaching, and recovery support navigation. GAAMHA manages Alyssa's Place Recovery Center, and will be working with Winchendon and surrounding towns to provide substance abuse services under the Opioid Settlement funds now (finally) being disbursed.
Ms. Wooldridge was recently promoted to supervisor of the DA's Central Mass Opioid Task Force and is the Community and School Outreach Coordinator. The Outreach unit provides training and resources to over 60 cities and towns on many topics including cyber safety, scams, bullying, elder safety and more, as well as substance abuse. The Task Force has over 750 members.
Chief Wolski spoke at length about the Post Overdose Support Team, an initiative he spearheaded to create in 2019, well before he was promoted to Chief of Police in 2022. Working with the social service organization AIDS Project Worcester, the Winchendon PD visits residents and their families after reported overdoses to offer assistance and resources, or simply a caring word. He described being surprised how appreciative and gracious persons contacted would be for the outreach, rather than being "stand-offish" or hostile. Chief Wolski stated that they took the view, "you can't arrest your way out of the problem" of substance abuse. They also visit the survivors after fatal overdoses, letting them know, "if you need anything, we're here." There is a Critical Incident Management System (CIMS) database to help track overdose incidents and follow-ups. This allows responders and services to see patterns and develop proactive responses.
Mr. Hayden said it was very important for police departments to have the attitude toward substance abuse that Chief Wolski described. "It didn't use to be the case" that this was common, he said.
Ms. Simmons-Swanson emphasized that babies born to mothers who use during pregnancy can seem unaffected but are impacted, and they may show symptoms of trauma up to age 10. She said it was important to discuss substance abuse issues honestly with children, and not use euphemisms like "your mother is very sick." Children need to understand the truth. Mr. Hayden added that "trauma transcends generations."
Audience members asked questions or shared concerns about how long it can take to get help and how difficult it can be, how physicians prescibe and over-prescribe opioids, and how to keep kids engaged and active so they won't be pulled toward trying substances. Ms. Wooldridge urged people to watch kids' social media, and warn them against ever taking someone else's medications. "If your kid doesn't let you follow them on social media--that's a red flag," the panelists agreed. Also mentioned was the importance of properly disposing of old medications before they can go astray.
There are always new substances showing up on the streets, the panel said--for example, the powerful veterinary sedative Xylazine (or "Tranq") is being found in street drugs. It is not an opioid and Narcan has no effect on it.
Ms. Wooldridge said that the DA's office is getting trained in Trauma Informed Response and the Handle With Care initiative, saying the goal was to have every agency that works with children in any way be trained in these programs.
Those seeking help can contact Clinical & Support Options (CSO) in Gardner, which can help people find emergency services, and provides mental health assessment, intervention and stabilization for youth, families and adults, regardless of insurance or ability to pay. Their number is 978-488-8888 and they are available 24/7. Many more resources can be found at www.bealslibrary.org/townwideread
The One Book One Community Town Wide Read events will conclude on Friday, April 28 with a visit from author Jarrett Krosoczka. He will speak at the schools, meet with the public for a book signing at 5:00 p.m., and give a talk at 6:30 p.m. in the Murdock High School Auditorium (3 Memorial Drive, Winchendon). Child care will be available during the talk, which is free to the public. For more information, contact Beals Memorial Library at 978-297-0300, or go to www.bealslibrary.org/townwideread.
Best-Selling Author Jarrett Krosoczka is Visiting Winchendon
Award-winning author and illustrator, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, will be visiting Murdock Middle High School for an author keynote speech on Friday, April 28, 2023.
Photo courtesy of StudioJJK
The final event of Winchendon's ongoing town-wide read, One Book, One Community, is almost here! Come meet the best-selling author and illustrator behind the graphic memoir, Hey, Kiddo, Jarrett J. Krosoczka! The focus of this year's town-wide read, Hey, Kiddo is a powerful story about the author's childhood growing up with a drug-addicted mother, an absent father, and two unforgettably opinionated grandparents.
Jarrett J. Krosoczka will be at the Murdock High School Cafeteria for a meet and greet on Friday, April 28, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. During the meet and greet, he will be signing copies of Hey, Kiddo. Books will be available while supplies last, or you can bring your own. Light refreshments will be served. Following the meet and greet, Jarrett will be giving a special talk about his book in the Murdock High School Auditorium at 6:30 p.m.
This event is free, and everyone is welcome to attend! Child care will be provided by the Winchendon CFCE.
This program is funded by the Winchendon Cultural Council, the Office of District Attorney Early, and through a Library Science Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Funding is also provided by the Beals Memorial Library, the Winchendon Public Schools and the Friends of the Beals Memorial Library. Collaborators include The Beals Memorial Library Board of Trustees, HEAL Winchendon, Youth ChangeMakers, Winchendon Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE), the Town of Winchendon, the Winchendon Police Department, and the Winchendon Community Action Committee (CAC).
Murdock High School is located at 3 Memorial Drive in Winchendon. For more information, call the library at 978-297-0300, email winchendonreads@gmail.com, or visit bealslibrary.org/townwideread.
Intergenerational Portrait Project at the Beals Memorial Library
Library Director Manuel King with some portraits.
photo courtesy of Beals Memorial Library
Calling artists of all ages! If you live or go school in Winchendon and enjoy flexing your creativity, then join the Beals Memorial Library in Winchendon for their upcoming Portrait Project: An Intergenerational Art Experience. From Alphas to Boomers and everyone in between and beyond, join the library for a two-day art workshop that will connect the generations!
The workshops will be held at the library on Monday, May 15, and Monday, May 22, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Participants will be paired up with someone from a different generation to paint their portrait and get to know each other. Following the completion of everyone's portraits, there will be a special exhibition held on Thursday, June 15, at 6:30 p.m. so that participants can show off their artwork to friends, family, and the public.
This workshop is brought to you with federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
The Beals Memorial Library is located at 50 Pleasant Street in Winchendon. For more information, contact the library at 978-297-0300 or visit their website at bealslibrary.org.
Photo copyright © Beals Memorial Library