I want to wish every mom a Happy Mother’s Day and thank them for all they do. You are our first responders. You love us unconditionally, teach us to love ourselves and to be kind to others. Moms are the heart of every home, and foundation of our society.
First, to my mom, who as a young girl decided to keep her baby (me), and taught me I could do anything I put my mind to and encouraged me to always do my best. Moms, children and life are a gift from God. What we choose to do with our life is our gift to God.
To my stepmother whose memory we hold in our hearts. My two daughters are now awesome moms, because of their mom, my wife, Theresa. Each life touches so many.
I applaud the Baltimore mom who saw her only son on TV at the riots and went down there to keep him alive and from doing something he might regret. I applaud the moms across the country that have picked up the mantel and are questioning the review process and implementation of Common Core, and the collection of data and PARCC testing by a private company with billions of dollars behind it.
These are our kids. They belong to us, not the state. It is our job to protect and educate them.
This spring has been busy on the Council. I want to thank the men, women and city department heads for their suggestions and input on how to improve Civil Service. Thank you to my fellow councilors and the Mayor for their support in sending a letter to Governor Baker to consider much needed reforms. I appreciate the article in the Westfield News. Our form of government depends on well-informed and involved citizens, and our ability to participate and effect our own government.
There is nothing fair or American about restricting our freedom of political expression, property rights, or a person’s ability to run for public office.
For that reason, I filed a motion that would help anyone trying to run for public office. Westfield’s temporary sign ordinance limits the time signs can be displayed to two months prior to an event, and no more than 4 months in a calendar year. The problem is with political yard signs; it never defines the term “event”.
Westfield’s sign ordinance prevents or delays a candidates’ ability to know when they can put up political signs, until late in the election season. This discriminates against new or challenger candidates, while favoring incumbents.
Nomination papers are available in April for municipal elections, and February for state elections. Turning in nomination papers with the required number of signatures should be “the event” that allows a candidate for office to put up signs and campaign.
Yard signs serve only one purpose. Name recognition. A new candidate needs to achieve 70 percent name recognition by the end of June. Westfield’s sign ordinance prohibits this from happening, without ever explicitly putting it in writing.
A candidate who has turned in the required number of signatures could fill out a simple form at the Building Department, and put the dates they wish to display signs. As a first time candidate for city council I was harassed by the city on September 4, 2013 for holding signs at standout. Presumably, because signs could not be displayed until the next day, two months before the November 5 election.
No candidate should be forced into a confrontation with any city official for simply trying to get his or her name out there. I served in the military for three years overseas to defend the US Constitution and protect our freedoms.
Please contact and ask city councilors to take swift action and approve the following changes.
Add the word “consecutively” to line (3) in Section 3. In all Districts:
To read: (3) shall not be displayed more than sixty (60) days consecutively prior to the event,
Add Section 5. No part of this ordinance shall restrict persons from holding signs.
Add Section 6. Any candidate, who submits the required number of nomination signatures for public office to the City Clerk, may from that date until Election Day, display lawn signs for up to one hundred-twenty (120) days, but not for more than sixty (60) days consecutively,
Have a safe Memorial Day weekend. Remember to thank a vet for their service.
Mark your calendars and join us for the Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony on May 25.
The Circle of Honor Memorial Day Ceremony on Saturday, May 23 10 a.m. at Stanley Park.
I invite the public to a free meet and greet event at East Mountain Country Club, on Tuesday, May 26, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. to discuss any issue or concern.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of this publication.
