Vote FOSTER and GOLD for Select Board

Marie Angelides, a former member of the Longmeadow Select Board submitted the following letter to the LongmeadowBuzz blog to share with Longmeadow residents....

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I ask you to please vote for Richard Foster and Mark Gold for Longmeadow Select Board on June 14^th.

I could list numerous important accomplishments of both these men, but we need to look to the future.  Longmeadow is facing unique challenges and we need experienced and proven leaders on the Select Board.  Our first challenge is how do we plan for the needs of  our community with a shrinking budget.  We need Select Board members with the budgeting knowledge and skills to deal with the problems of  pension and retiree health benefits devouring the budget and the 2 ½ tax ceiling.  The rapid rise in inflation and salary costs makes these next few years especially difficult.  They have proven their leadership in this area by increasing revenues outside of the tax base, limiting the tax increases while addressing the concerns of our unfunded liabilities and expanding our maintenance programs.  The town fiscal rating increased under their leadership.

Richard Foster (left) and Mark Gold
at 2019 Select Board meeting

Another challenge facing Longmeadow is the Tennessee Pipeline (TP) and Eversource planned expansion.  The Select Board has been studying the issues surrounding our gas infrastructure.  Serious commitment of town resources has been made hiring experts and attorneys.  Richard  and Mark  have been involved since the beginning of the process and understand the complex engineering and legal issues.  Longmeadow needs to create a long term and comprehensive safety plan for the pipeline.  This is a serious discussion that needs to be handled with transparency and leadership.  Richard Foster has the proven leadership skills and Mark Gold as an engineer has the technical knowledge and expertise to work with the pipeline and gas experts.

We are living in a new world.  The needs of our residents and especially our children  are radically different from even a few years ago.  The Select Board needs to prepare a 10-year plan and review our goals.  We need to address mental health, transportation  and conservation.  Mark Gold has worked on a town wide Internet, and began the solar credit program.  Richard Foster has looked at the housing issues for our seniors. Their work needs to be continued.    We need an experienced Select Board to lead  Longmeadow in creating and implementing a long-range plan.

Finally, Longmeadow has been approved for building a new middle school. Richard  and Mark  helped successfully complete several large  building projects.  Especially important at this time is their knowledge of municipal finance and the Massachusetts School Building funding structure.  The middle school will be facing interest rates that are 2-3 times more than the high school.  Mark Gold and Richard Foster are  key players in managing this complex financing issue.  I strongly urge you to vote for Richard Foster and Mark Gold on June 14.  Go to town hall and vote now if you are not available on election day. After the election reach out to them.  We need to work together to plan for the future of Longmeadow.