The 9% Factor

Ken O’Brien

Congratulations Southbridge! The results are in.

You’ve officially given up on your town.

I can remember when a good friend of mine lost his race for school committee. At the time he got over 1,100 votes – and he lost.

In our most recent town election the winners got 900 votes or less.

Less than 10% of the town’s registered voters bothered to turn out to vote. 

Apathy has triumphed.

Joint Meeting of the Southbridge Town Council and School Committee - July 20, 2015

Southbridge Town Council Meeting - July 6, 2015

Southbridge Election Results

ELECTION RESULTS

Town Council

Shaun Moriarty

Denise Clemence

Kristen Auclair

School Committee

William Bishop

Scott Lazo

Moriarty, Clemence, Auclair get council posts (Worcester Telegram)

An Invitation To Southbridge Candidates

Ken O’Brien

Candidates for public office in the upcoming Southbridge town election are invited to submit statements of their positions on issues of concern to them and Southbridge residents.

In addition to highlighting areas of policy concern, candidates should also include information on their education, prior public service, occupation and any other area that might be of interest to voters.

Please include a recent photo of yourself in JPEG or PNG format for inclusion in your article. 

Address responses to obanion@netzero.net. Articles will be reproduced in the form that they are submitted without editing other than to fit the format of this blog. All articles will be headlined [NAME] candidate for [POSITION].

Abrahamson Successor To Be Appointed

Ken O’Brien

The successor to School Committee member Brent Abrahamson’s seat on the School Committee will be appointed by a joint meeting of the Town Council and the School Committee.

According to the Town Charter:

SECTION 2 - VACANCIES

3-2-1: Vacancies in the elected town boards established under this charter shall be filled by the town council in joint convention with the remaining members of the respective board within sixty days unless a regular town election shall occur within one hundred and twenty days, but only until the next town election. 

Vote On Tuesday

Adding It Up - Part III

Ken O’Brien

Of all the issues that confront us as voters next Tuesday, this has given me the most pause.

Frankly I have never seen such a sad lot of candidates for town council.

Let’s start with the obvious.

I eliminate Joe Marino and John Pulawski first and foremost because they are essentially stalking horses for the referendum to alter the form of town government. Additionally, as regards Mr. Marino, he has already demonstrated his contempt for the rules by having confessed to leaking executive session minutes. Those who want to look past this seem to overlook the reality of the situation. Mr. Marino did not confess until he was faced with the imminent threat of a full blown investigation and the resulting consequences.

Adding It Up – Part II

Ken O’Brien

So now we turn to candidates for Southbridge School Committee.

It certainly has been a record year for this group.

First of course we have the superintendent.

He came on board with much fanfare.

Then the local blogs (or should I say this blog) began digging into his past. We turned up a number of facts that, perhaps, should have been discovered by those who hired him in the first place. 

What A State

Ken O’Brien

So now we get down to the remaining three running for town council.

Specifically, Miguel Estrada, Paul Zotos and Gus Steeves.

Frankly, I don’t know Miguel Estrada. Therefore I can’t say anything negative about him – but by the same token, I can’t say anything positive either. As far as I’m concerned, that leaves a net zero. That’s hardly a reason to vote for someone.

Southbridge Town Election Candidates 2014

Below is a list of candidates for contested positions in the June 2014 Southbridge Annual Town Election who had submitted papers with a sufficient number of signatures as of yesterday’s deadline and who have not withdrawn previously submitted forms.

            Town Council                        School Committee
              (3 openings)                             (3 openings)
            Miguel Estrada                        Brent Abrahamson

            James Marino                          Scott Lazo

            John Pulawski                         Christopher Olivo

            Gus Steeves                            Raymond Page

            Albert Vecchia, Jr.                  LeAnn Pate

            Paul Zotos

Southbridge School Committee Still Misleads On Policy

Ken O’Brien

At the November 5 meeting of the Southbridge School Committee Town Councilor Monique Manna questioned the procedure used to select the chairman of the committee following the resignation of former chairman Patricia Woodruff.

Following is a video of the question posed by Councilor Manna and the response from Chairman McLoughlin.

This Cannot End Well - Video: Southbridge School Committee Meeting October 22, 2013

Ken O’Brien

The inauguration of any new political leadership sets the tone for their subsequent tenure.

In this regard, the assumption of the leadership of the Southbridge School Committee by Lauren McLoughlin could not possibly be any less auspicious.

It was characterized in its hallmark moment by what would be generously characterized as ignorance, but more likely as outright deceit.

Most disturbing was the regrettable involvement in this exercise by as distinguished an officer of the court as Demetrios Moschos of the firm Mirick O’Connell. I can only wonder if he will have the integrity to admit his error and thus require those responsible to hit the reset button.

The Petey Shuffle

Ken O’Brien

On Wednesday The O’Zone reported that State Representative Peter Durant had accepted an invitation from challenger Kathleen Walker for a series of debates. According to an update received from Ms. Walker events had been scheduled for Charlton, Dudley and Southbridge.

Later that same day we received a detailed set of rules for the first event in Charlton.

 ON: OCTOBER 9, 2012

Candidates’ Debate

AT: CHARLTON OVERLOOK COMMUNITY

What’s The Plan? ...Chris?...Petey?...Anybody?

Ken O’Brien

It’s now been over a week since The O’Zone addressed the issue of the Massachusetts Senate’s approval of legislation that would allow Southbridge residents to vote on the amendments to the town charter crafted by Clark’s cronies on the General Government subcommittee and approved by his puppet council.                     

At the time we pointed out the fact that, apparently, the town manager wasn’t aware of what was in the legislation.

The Sum Of All Facts

Ken O’Brien

Back in April, after the hoopla regarding the O'Zone's publication of the Arbitration decision in the case of Jonathan Jacobson, I conducted a poll of readers regarding whether the current principal of Southbridge High should stay or go.

At the conclusion of the article reporting the results of the poll, I wrote the following; “My prediction; I’ll end up being the villain in this black comedy.”

Yesterday I encountered an old friend (I’m talking a friend of over 40 years). We share a number of friends, many of whom are intimately involved in this affair. 

Local Groups Prepare for Town Elections

Ken O'Brien

Well, the New Year has come and gone, and in Southbridge that can mean only one thing - the start of election season.

While town elections don't happen until June, various local groups are already preparing for the event.

There is of course the town council as a whole (or at least seven of nine) who are hoping to place their planned charter distortions on the ballot. Their nefarious ambitions were bolstered today by an email from state representative Peter Durant (R - Spencer).

Southbridge Town Council Reorganizes

Kenneth M. O’Brien

At its first meeting following the June Town Elections the Southbridge Town Council elected its leadership for the coming year.

Councilor Catherine Nikolla was elected Chairman of the Council.

Councilor Denise Clemence was elected Vice-Chairman of the Council.

As my only comment on this outcome, allow me to offer my proposal for the Town's new promotional campaign going forward.

What Do You Think?

Kenneth M. O’Brien

The election is over.

The incoming Southbridge Town Council will consist of Denise Clemence, David Langevin, David Livengood, Darlene Marcucci, Laurent McDonald, Catherine Nikolla, Pamela Regis, Lawrence Spinelli and Conrad Vandel.

Who do you think should be Chairman, and why?

Who do you think should be Vice-Chairman, and why?

What should be the council’s first priority and what should they do about it?

How should the council deal with the report of the Charter Review Committee and their recommendations and why?

Speak now or forever hold your piece!

The O’Zone is giving you a voice before the back room deals are made.

 Use it!

Southbridge Election Results

Kenneth M. O’Brien

For Council It’s Marcucci, Langevin and Nikolla.

For School Committee It’s Woodruff, Dominko and O’Leary.

Southbridge Town Council

Fontaine            1,012

Langevin            1,116

Lazo                 512

Logan                628

Marcucci            1,259

Nikolla            1,025

Southbridge School Committee

Dominko           964

McLoughlin      699     

O’Leary            943

Twomey            932

Woodruff            1,048

Thanks to all who voted.

Now that the shouting is over, we expect progress and an end to stagnation.

Otherwise,