Facts Matter

 This post was written by Jim Moran, Longmeadow Town Resident

Annual Town Elections

It’s unfortunate that instead of owning her lack of civic engagement, Select Board candidate Shelly Maynard-DeWolf has been accusing me of a “smear campaign” for asking basic, fair questions about her voting record and involvement in Longmeadow town government.

Let’s be clear: asking whether a candidate has voted in an election or participated at town meetings is not a “gotcha” moment—it’s a matter of public trust. These are not attacks; they are facts, and voters have every right to know them.

I have never engaged in personal attacks or “worked behind the scenes” against anyone. I’ve simply asked the questions that matter when someone asks to lead our town. That’s not gatekeeping—it’s accountability.

What is very disappointing is the tone this campaign has taken. I call on Ms. Maynard-DeWolf to ask her supporters to stop the personal attacks and character smears being made against me. Longmeadow deserves better than this.

Let’s bring this election back to the issues and the experience our town needs.

- Jim Moran 

 

Letter to the Editor- I'm Voting for Shelly Maynard-DeWolf

 

Letter to the Editor- Vote for Mark Gold

To Longmeadow Voters,

      As a group of Longmeadow citizens, we want to let other Longmeadow residents know how important it is for them to go to the polls on Tuesday, June 3^rd and vote for Mark Gold for Select Board.  Mark is the most knowledgeable and qualified candidate for the position.  As a sixteen-year member of the Select Board he has demonstrated his leadership and provided results that serve both the town as well as its residents.
 
    Mark’s achievements include a strong impact on controlling the town’s tax rate, holding water and sewer rates in check, and improving the quality of life for all residents of town.  Longmeadow needs to collect over $1.3 million less in real estate taxes in 2026 than would otherwise have been necessary because of his work in: purchasing and converting streetlights to LEDs ($450K), negotiating a casino mitigation contract ($280K), driving the adoption of a local meals tax ($180K), and negotiating a new trash hauling contract ($400K for each of the 5 years of the contract). 

       Over the coming years all residents will benefit from the Municipal Aggregation plan that Mark initiated that will allow homeowners to take advantage of lower priced electrical generation compared to Eversource. 

       As involved citizens, we know that by electing Mark Gold to the Select Board we will keep his work ethic and positive impact working for the town of Longmeadow.  It's not enough for us to just say we support Mark Gold for Select Board, we must all go to the Longmeadow Community House on Tuesday June 3^rd between 7AM and 8PM and vote for Mark Gold for Select Board because LOCAL ELECTIONS MATTER and Mark’s Trusted Leadership and Proven Results are unique among the candidates.

Sincerely,

 

Zach Verriden- Candidate for Re-election to the Longmeadow School Committee

This information was submitted to the LongmeadowBuzz blog by Zach Verriden- Candidate for Re-election to the Longmeadow School Committee. 

 

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Meet Zach Verriden, Candidate for Reelection to the Longmeadow School Committee 

My name is Zach Verriden and I am running for reelection to the Longmeadow School Committee. I am running once again because I care deeply about civil service, serving our community, and preserving the progress we have made in a post-COVID society. I am a lifelong educator who has previously served as the Chair of the Longmeadow Select Board’s Coalition for Racial Justice Task Force Chair, as a member of the Blueberry Hill Elementary School Council, a parent in the Special Education Alliance of Longmeadow (SEAL) and as a leader with the Longmeadow Anti-Racism Coalition (LARC). Additionally, I am also currently a practicing educator and principal. I am also, most importantly, a Longmeadow parent and frequent youth sports coach. I hope to continue to bring these experiences and insights to the Longmeadow School Committee in order to build on excellence with an eye toward equity and inclusion for all learners. 

I have taught in classrooms across the country and am passionate about education. I have also served as a building principal and district superintendent in other regions while navigating facility renovation and construction projects very similar to the middle school decision facing Longmeadow at this time. I am a career educator who received my master’s degree in Education Policy and Management in 2008 from Harvard University and am currently completing my Ph.D. in K-12 Education and Policy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I also hold a business certificate in Educational Entrepreneurship from Rice University. 

I am a proud father of four children and our family moved to Longmeadow, Massachusetts specifically for the educational opportunities offered to my children, but in particular for my oldest son Henry who requires a complex Individualized Education Program (IEP). As a parent, educator and neighbor, I hold the unique perspective of being on both sides of the table for children in Longmeadow. I have worked as an independent educational consultant offering innovative solutions to educators and previously served many Longmeadow families as the Senior Director of Youth & Family Programs at the Springfield JCC. 

I look forward to working in continuing to serve with a wide range of community members and colleagues on the Longmeadow School Committee and throughout the school community to realize the district’s vision of seeing all students engaged in rigorous, introspective, and culturally responsive learning with a commitment to anti-racism, equity and social justice. 

I need your vote on Tuesday, June 3rd to help Longmeadow Public Schools realize the promise of excellence with equity for all learners.

Here is a link to my Facebook campaign page.
 

Zach Verriden- Candidate for Re-election to the Longmeadow School Committee 

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