DAVE FLAHERTY
Name: Dave Flaherty
Address: 7 Marla Circle
Occupation: Owner of DFA Group, LLC – a software and internet services consulting company.
What experience and qualifications do you have that would be an asset to the city?
I’m married with two active boys. Both boys have graduated Westfield Public Schools. My older son graduated Babson College and now works and lives outside Boston. My younger son is currently at Westfield State University. Both are great students, athletes, Eagle Scouts, and generally fine young men. My wife is a nurse in Westfield Public Schools. Like many of you, I’d like to make sure we leave our world and community in better condition than we found it.
I’ve been self-employed and have owned small businesses for almost 25 years. I’ve been quite successful, but like many business owners, I have also faced many challenges and have learned some things the hard way. I have a positive realistic outlook, and try to do what I can every day to make a difference.
I’ve earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering & Computer Science from Northeastern University and an MBA from Western New England College. I’m a life-long learner and spend time every year enhancing my knowledge and skills. I’ve been an active member of several Chambers of Commerce, the UMASS Family Business Center, and other business organizations.
I have extensive experience dealing with government agencies from small cities and towns to giant state-level organizations. My company and I have developed many computer systems and websites that have improved government services and/or reduced operating costs.
I’m politically independent, but fiscally conservative when it comes to spending or committing taxpayer dollars. I’m liberal on several social issues. I volunteer hundreds of hours every year for non-profits, youth programs, and community service projects. This past year I donated hundreds of hours to Scouting and several high-profile Westfield 350 events. For years – before college bills – I donated more than ½ of my gross City Council salary every year to worthy causes such as: Westfield Public Schools, Junior Achievement, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boy & Girls Club, Noble VNA, Westfield on Weekends, Park Square Beautification Fund, and many other programs.
Have you recently met with city department heads to discuss their needs/concerns/budgets and if so, which ones?
Yes, several. I’ve been a leader on budget issues on the City Council for years. I believe the city should be preparing top-down multi-year budgets with realistic assumptions and targets. I very much appreciate the department heads and hard-working employees in the City, but I also understand the financial challenges, and the long-term outlook, and I believe a big part of our job is to do things that are in the best interest long-term. Every department needs to help us deliver high-quality efficient services while living within the budgetary constraints we are given. Focusing only on the short-term is not the best plan for anybody – particularly for employees who are counting on long-term benefits, and taxpayers who need to stop the ever-increasing tax burdens. Right now, the city is mired in long-term obligations related to employee benefits, constantly defers investments and maintenance on infrastructure, and we have financial plans that seem to be based on voodoo mathematics. We have to change.
If you could change how the Council works, what would be your priority?
Make sure that all councilor are trained in the procedures, rules, and laws that apply to our role in Westfield. There should be a City Councilor 101 Training after every election.
We have a weak mayor / strong council form of government, but right now, many councilors do not behave that way. We have to get a team of councilors who will accept this responsibility, and who are willing to do the work necessary to help make Westfield a great place to live, work, play, and get educated. We have a very distributed management system in Westfield, with dozens of boards and commissions, and several checks and balances. Councilors, Mayor, and Board & Commission members need to understand their role.
What are your top three areas of concern for Westfield and how would you like to address them?
First, I think we need a multi-year strategic plan based on reality. This plan must receive buy-in from the residents, business owners, department heads, and elected officials. We need a leader with vision and who has the leadership and management skills to put a team together to fulfill the goals of the strategic plan.
Second, I think we need a financial plan the HONESTLY meets the needs of the city, while addressing our long-term and recurring obligations. Right now the city has a (legally) balanced budget, but we are deferring tens of millions of dollars every year onto future generations of taxpayers. This has to stop. Employees have to understand the financial challenges, and understand that I and others are truly looking out for their long-term interests. We need support from every department, employee, and elected official if we are going to solve these problems.
Third, right now a big concern is the safety and security of our water supply. The Water Department is controlled by the Water Commission by state law and our City Charter. However, as a City Councilor and resident, I have concerns. I think we have taken a good first-step given. However, I am not 100% sure that these filters will solve 100% of the problems long-term. Nobody is. We need to continue doing our best to make sure that we do what needs to be done to provide clean safe reliable water to everyone. We may have to change our processes in the future as new methods of testing and treatment are developed. We certainly should be exploring alternative sources of water. We should also be developing plans to connect to the potential sources, to treat the water in various ways depending on the source, and to deliver the water into our system. The Water Department and Water Commission are certainly focused on these issues. The Mayor and the City Council and the Law Department are working to make sure that the polluters pay for the remediation and the operating costs of the filtering facilities.
What positive effect have you had on the city?
I think every councilor and city department head would honestly say I have made quite the impact. I do not just go with the flow or rubberstamp things. I push for transparency and honesty. I truly believe a checks-and-balances system with strong advocates on all sides of an issue will lead to the best results. I want the best for the city, our residents, businesses, and employees. I spend a huge amount of time communicating. If you’ve watched any City Council meetings, you’ll see that I am usually quite prepared and I make an effort to explain things in detail. Same goes for my articles in the local newspaper, and in my social media posts.
Why should residents vote for you?
I have a proven track record of representing the people of Westfield. I work hard, research issues, and take the stances that I think are best – even in the face of quite a bit of adversity. I am focused on the long-term best outlook for Westfield. I am grounded in reality, and do not believe ignoring realities or trying to put a positive spin on mediocre performance or failed (or mathematically impossible) financial plans are in the best interest of our residents, businesses, or employees. I can help address some of the issues discussed in this profile, but only if I get support from the citizens at the polls. I’d be honored to continue to serve. Please vote on Tuesday.
