A couple of comments and questions for Shelly Maynard-DeWolf

Shelly, in your election profile you cite three challenge areas that you will try to address if you are elected to the Select Board.  I have a couple of comments and followup questions for you.

1. Communication Gaps
2. Lack of Transparent, Proactive Information Sharing

The town’s communication tools have evolved greatly since the town website was first developed in 1997. Recent efforts by Town Manager Lyn Simmons and others included development of a multitude of new means to get information to town residents.  This includes an updated website also available as a mobile app with access to announcements, budget summaries, important documents, meeting schedules and agenda postings for all town committees and much more.  You can also sign up to receive newsletters, updates and announcements via email from various town organizations including the Longmeadow Adult Center and the Town Manager Monthly Newsletter. The Town also has a Code RED alert system for broadcast via text, email and phone calls of localized and town wide emergency announcements.  Our Town Manager also has scheduled regular monthly face-to-face meetings with town residents on the second Wednesday of every month.

Our Select Board, School Committee and other important events are broadcast LIVE on LCTV with replay available on YouTube. Participation via Zoom is available for Select Board meetings. Residents can make Public Comments via Zoom.  Before each SB meeting, agenda information (including correspondence to the SB that will be discussed at the meeting) is posted on the town website.

There is not much that you cannot find on the current Town website and other town sponsored social media.

I don’t think that this should be a focus of your efforts if you are elected on June 3 to the Select Board.

3. Limited Community Engagement

Our town would not be the town that it is today without the many volunteers who step up and provide hours of “community engagement”.  For example, I led the volunteer effort in 1997 to create our original town website- www.Longmeadow.org with 4 other town residents including Mark Gold who is also running for Select Board on June 3rd.  We maintained it almost daily until 2010 saving the town a large amount of money that could be used for other essential purposes such as teacher, and police/ fire salaries.

Volunteerism and community engagement are what makes Longmeadow a great place to live.  There is a large amount of resident participation on town government committees, town forums, schools, youth sports, the Adult Center and much more.

I do agree that community engagement when it comes to attendance at annual and special town meetings is lacking.  I did a recent study of voter turnout for recent annual town elections.  I found that only 1 out of 5 registered voters voted in recent elections- even fewer town residents attend the Annual or Special Town Meetings.

________________________________________

Shelly, you have lived in Longmeadow for the past 16 years but the election profile that you posted does not share any community engagement or volunteer activities or membership on any town committees but lists only work related skills and roles. I have a couple of questions:

1. Can you share with potential voters any community related involvement including town government or school related committees as well as any local volunteer work?
   
   
2.  Do you vote in Town Elections and attend Town Meetings?

Thank you for any answers that you could provide.

Jim Moran