Editor’s note: The Wanderer invited candidates in contested races (more candidates than open seats) to write up to 350 words explaining their candidacy for elected offices. The 2023 Rochester Town Election will be held on Wednesday, May 24. Mattapoisett and Marion candidates appeared in the May 11 Wanderer. Today, we present Rochester candidates. Questions submitted by the League of Women Voters South Coast helped provide talking points for the candidates.
Rochester Select Board
Two (2) candidates are on the Rochester Town Election ballot for one (1) open seat on the Select Board.
Greenwood Hartley III, Incumbent
Citizens of Rochester, in 2017 you chose me to serve on your Select Board. Since then, I’ve been working with not only my other Select Board members, but all the elected and appointed officials of Rochester to make significant progress in many areas, including: (1) Establish and appoint a Capital Planning Committee to work with department heads and identify and fund projects based on town-wide priorities; (2) Design and appoint a diverse and qualified Public Safety Feasibility Study Committee to review our fire and police buildings and prepare a plan for the future; (3) Protect our natural resources and expand public water supplies; (4) Implement Electrical Aggregation to reduce electrical rates; (5) Secure over $450,000 in grants for improvements in energy efficiency that is resulting in annual savings of over $20,000/year; (6) Secure additional grants for police, fire, Council on Aging, Library and other departments – all projects to improve services and reduce costs; (7) Resurrect the Personnel Board and charged them with reviewing and updating our By-Laws and Job Descriptions. The Select Board should lead, generate ideas, update and refine procedures and policies and propose new possibilities and advocate for improvement. Some of these opportunities had been overlooked by previous boards, but at my suggestion were reconsidered and implemented. Your Select Board and Town Government in general is far more proactive now that I’m involved. I have a track record of leading our town forward. I have made a difference and if re-elected I will continue to do so. Rochester is a special place to live. The people who move here, as well as those who have been here for generations, understand that. So do I. The town will continue to grow and change. When guiding that change there is no substitute for experience, trust and communication. I’m proud of Rochester. We are heading in the right direction. Your Select Board is better with me as a member. Please honor me with your vote on May 24.
Adam Murphy, Challenger
I have been fortunate to be born and raised in the Town of Rochester, married to Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Jessica Murphy and father of Hailey and Adam Jr. Along with Rochester-based Tri-Town Service trucking and Murphy’s Auto Salvage Inc., I have dedicated the past 20 years to public safety. As Marion’s deputy harbormaster and certified patrol officer for the Marion Police Department, I work on the annual budget, assist and protect boaters, other local agencies and the U.S. Coast Guard and MA Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and write grants that help offset department needs. Most recently, we secured $1,600,000 toward the $3,500,000 Maritime Center. In 2022, I was appointed to Rochester’s new Personnel Board and elected chairman. The opportunity to collaborate with department heads and other town officials and hear town employees’ concerns inspires me to propose that all committee chairpersons meet to better connect our boards to the community. I want to be a conduit to champion the public’s interests. Despite recent growth, Rochester lacks commercial-tax revenue to help offset budget increases. To realize our revised Master Plan, one of my goals is to find new ways to obtain grants for future capital projects. The town is conducting a feasibility study of the Police and Fire facilities. If elected, I will recommend that an outside agency completes an evaluation to determine the needs of each department and provide recommendations. I will also request an open house providing town residents the opportunity to tour current facilities. Workspace vacated by Rochester’s participation in the regional 911 service can be renovated as capital projects and salvaged. I want to understand more on the proposed $9,000,000, 6,000 square-foot addition to the Police Station. If elected, I will do my due diligence to get answers to the important questions before decisions are made. My background in public safety and working for a municipality have afforded me knowledge in town government and make me an ideal candidate. In this election, you have an opportunity to bring a new, fresh and vibrant insight to the Select Board. I ask for your vote on May 24.
Rochester Planning Board
Three (3) candidates are on the Rochester Town Election ballot for two (2) open seats on the Planning Board. Incumbent John Demaggio did not respond to the Wanderer’s invitation to participate in this format.
Bendrix Bailey, Incumbent
My name is Bendrix Bailey and I am running for a fourth term on the Planning Board. Experience, consistency and continuity are the three pillars of an effective member of the Planning Board. In addition to hundreds of pages of State and Town laws and rules, there are bi-weekly packages of plans and applications a member must be able to understand and respond to. As a personal matter, I have been a Rochester resident since 1985 and serve on both Planning and Conservation. This year I initiated a Citizens Petition to remove Rochester from the Green Communities program and the burdensome, wasteful and expensive SMART building codes. In the coming year, I will research and initiate a zoning change, making it commercially attractive for developers to construct housing for seniors. It will be a Free Market solution, not a government-funded morass. I was asked what my first choice would be for the use, if provided, of a $1,000,000 grant. It would be roads and infrastructure which are somewhat neglected for lack of funds. But honestly, why wait for a handout from the state. We can work those problems now. Please vote for me on May 24. Thank you.
Dennis McCarthy, Challenger
My name is Dennis McCarthy. I have lived in Rochester for over 20 years with my wife as we raised our six children. Prior to coming here, I served eight years on active duty as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician in the Army. I am running for Planning Board because I believe that I can bring a well needed perspective to the board. For the past 20 years, I have developed and built commercial properties in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. I think the experience that I have bringing towns and developers together for a common goal can be used right here in town as we face some very big decisions in the near future. The town has a large apartment and commercial complex starting construction on Route 28, Police and Fire station additions/replacements and a technical high school that is looking to expand. These projects require someone with experience in navigating the complex issues related to permitting and construction. Rochester is a small town with small-town values. That’s why many of us moved here. We do not have the tax base that other towns have, and this has to be kept in mind when projects come up. There are ways to attract development that are beneficial to the town, and this is where my experience can help. Because I have been in the commercial construction business for so long, I can look at some of the bids and make sure that we are getting a fair price and a quality job. The other thing that needs attention is affordable housing. Our seniors and young families are being priced right out of town. We need to come up with a comprehensive plan for more affordable housing. Seniors are the soul of this town and young families are its future, so let’s act now to keep both those groups here.
ORR School Committee
Editor’s note: The Old Rochester Regional School Committee has races for open seats this year in all three of the Tri-Towns. This week we present two candidates for one open seat in Rochester. Marion and Mattapoisett candidates for ORR School Committee seats appeared in the May 11 issue of The Wanderer.
James O’Brien, Rochester Challenger
Hello! My name is James “Jim” O’Brien and I am running for the Old Rochester Regional School Committee. I spent my 35-year career at the forefront of education, developing and implementing innovative and unique educational programs designed to advance students. I retired as superintendent of Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech. I served as chair of the ORR School Committee, Chair of SMEC Board of Directors and have coached both youth and high school level sports programs. I am the father of two beautiful, brilliant daughters who have benefited greatly from the Old Rochester Regional School District. There is not a piece of the educational system I have not seen, and this is why I am the best fit for this job.
I demonstrate: realistic expectations (knowledge of what can and cannot be changed); deep respect for teachers, administration, students, and committee members; commitment to work on issues that truly matter; eagerness to work with, not against, others to come to compromise and resolution; and mastery of state laws and DESE requirements that must be complied with. We all have a responsibility to serve our community, and I know I can best serve mine with my ability to listen and facilitate meaningful conversations to ensure students, families, staff, and administration all feel supported. My ability to work as a conduit between fellow committee members, the community, parents, teachers, and school administration will bring everyone together for the best interest of our students. Vote Jim O’Brien on May 24 for ORR School Committee.
Joe Pires, Rochester Incumbent
I am proud to say that I have lived in a great community with wonderful people in Rochester for over 21 years. It has been a blessing to have been able to raise children in a community that promotes good morals, values and respect for each other. My commitment to the school community is rooted in my belief that every student deserves a safe and academically enriching environment to learn and grow. I am an honest individual who values transparency and open communication. I am deeply committed to the safety and well-being of our children. I believe that we must take a proactive approach to ensuring that our schools are safe and secure, and I will work tirelessly to advocate for policies and procedures that prioritize student safety. Every student deserves a high-quality education. I will work diligently to ensure that our schools are providing students with the resources, tools and support they need to thrive academically. We need to become more efficient on where our tax dollars are spent. We need to ensure that our schools have the resources to retain our school teachers, faculty and staff. We cannot afford to lose talented educators who are invested in the success of our students. As a candidate who is a minority, I understand that it is important to focus on making decisions that will benefit everyone, not just a select few. By prioritizing the needs of the entire community, you can ensure that every student has access to the resources and support they need to thrive. I am committed to making thoughtful, responsible decisions that will benefit everyone. Above all, I am someone who stands up for what is right, even in the face of opposition. I believe that the School Committee has a responsibility to do what is in the best interests of our students and our community. I looked forward to continuing to serve our school community as a member of the ORR School Committee. Please vote to “Re-elect Joe Pires” for ORR School Committee! Sincerely, Joe Pires
Rochester School Committee
Editor’s note: Four (4) candidates are on the ballot for two (2) open seats on the Rochester School Committee.
Kate Duggan, Incumbent
My name is Kate Duggan and I am a candidate for re-election to the RMS School Committee for a second three-year term. I’ve lived in Rochester for 13 years and my husband and I have two children attending RMS. As current chair of the Rochester Cultural Council, a parent member of the RMS PTO and volunteer for many other groups, I am an active contributor to enriching life in Rochester. I hold a Masters degree in Education and work for a major university in the area of grant development and strategy. I’ve applied all of my life and professional experiences to my service on the RMS School Committee and look forward to continuing to deliver on the promise of an excellent public education in our town. I am always well prepared for RMS School Committee and subcommittee meetings, and I bring thorough reports and updates on what’s going on with the Early Childhood Council, Policy Subcommittee, and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC). Given my experience and perspective, I believe we need to continue efforts to address learning loss coming out of the pandemic. Last year, the RMS School Committee allocated funds for a review of the literacy curriculum, and I am hopeful this effort will be particularly helpful for the children currently in Pre-K who may be running a bit behind in Kindergarten readiness due to effects of the pandemic. Additionally, the committee must continue to allocate sufficient funding to repair or replace computers regularly; our students live in a connected world and need to build these skills for their future studies and employment. Finally, another of my priorities as a School Committee member is to work with the entire Rochester community to build a welcoming school environment for all students, teachers and staff. As a parent, I am extremely invested in making sure RMS is a safe, supportive environment for my kids and their classmates to learn and thrive. I show up, put in the work and, with your support, will continue to do so for the next three years. Thank you for your consideration.
Anne Fernandes, Incumbent
My name is Anne Fernandes, and I am an incumbent running for a third term on the Rochester Memorial School Committee. I have a Master’s in Special Education and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Educational Leadership. I have served for 22 years as a paraprofessional, a classroom teacher, a Reading Recovery teacher, and a Special Education teacher in three local elementary schools. As a representative, I have collaborated on teams negotiating teachers’ and paraprofessionals’ contracts, the Budget Subcommittee, Capitol Planning, the Joint School Committee, board member of the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative (SMEC), the superintendent’s review process, the hiring teams for our current superintendent and assistant superintendent of Teaching and Learning, and the development of the Strategic Plan. I have championed the district’s decision in its pursuit of the new Literacy approach espoused in the Science of Reading for staff and students. Literacy instruction based on this evidence-based practice is a win for all students including those with decoding struggles. I affirm our district’s use of Responsive Classroom as a Social Emotional Learning approach in cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control. Responsive Classroom is a Social Emotional Learning model which provides age and ability-appropriate expectations to develop student-to-student and student-to-staff relationships in all school settings. Finally, valuable parents’ rights are documented in the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment that parents should receive at the beginning of every school year. I advocate that all curriculum and DESE’s Learning Standards should be posted on the RMS website for parent review. I advocate that the district adopts an “opt-in” model when seeking permission for surveys, rather than an “opt-out” format. Finally, I encourage the inclusion of parents and community members as decision-makers, as afforded in the committee’s Policy AB and evidenced during February of 2022 when parents gave input regarding the rescission of the mask mandate. That was powerful! Given the continued opportunity to represent you on this Committee, I will work towards including parents and community members in decision-making, assuring your parental rights, school safety, and academics for all students. Please vote in Rochester’s Town Election on Wednesday, May 24.
Gregory Hardy, Challenger
I’m the son of a retired teacher and grew up in the town of Acushnet where I attended elementary and junior high before moving on and graduating from New Bedford High School. In 2017 my family and I decided to move to the great town of Rochester for several reasons. We knew about the great school system Rochester had to offer and we also have close family who have lived in town for over 30 years. My wife and I have two kids that currently attend RMS, and according to staff members they are both well liked and great students. As a youth coach, I’ve always taken the approach of treating every child equally, working towards improvement and building confidence. I’ve always taken a strong interest in everything my kids do, and their education is no different. I regularly attend School Committee meetings for RMS and ORR.Committee members need to work together, support each other and make sure that all sides of the issues are heard and recognized. Common sense needs to prevail, and a middle ground needs to be found on dividing issues. If elected, I would also like to advance school safety at RMS, especially in the form of private security or a resource officer. Next year’s RMS proposed budget is over $6,700,000. I would be happy to work with the administration on adjusting the budget for improved school safety. I believe that we need more balance on our school committees. Our students lost valuable time during Covid, and I believe it’s also important to stay focused on academic achievement. Studies also show that a family’s engagement has a direct positive impact on a child’s learning success. That includes making sure that teachers are given the tools that they need for all students to achieve a positive experience.
Sydney Teixeira, Challenger
My name is Sydney Teixeira and I am running for the Rochester Memorial School Committee. One of the reasons I am running is to add to the perspectives that the current School Committee has because I understand the pressures that students face both in and outside the classroom. I can provide insights that other School Committee members have not experienced. As an ORR alum, I experienced the incorporation of technology into education like no other School Committee members have. I understand the stresses associated with preparing and taking standardized tests like the MCAS throughout elementary, middle and high school. I also have experience as a college mentor with a focus on organizing a program geared towards fostering a sense of belonging, increasing mental wellbeing, and promoting academic success within first-year students in my biology program. I want to continue our efforts on ensuring students are entering and leaving our school, excited to learn, and feeling comfortable and safe both in the classroom and on the buses. I would like to collaborate with our fellow School Committee members to ensure that our budget aligns with the needs of our teachers. We need to provide our educators with the necessary tools and resources to help our students reach their learning goals. I want your students to know that they deserve to feel accepted by their friends, peers and school staff and faculty regardless of their skin color, gender identity or beliefs. In addition, we need to stress the importance of positive student-teacher relationships and the impact that it makes on a child’s social and emotional wellbeing. As a community, we need to work together to ensure that all students are happy, eager and supported at RMS because a happy child is a better learner.
Trustees of Rochester Public Library
Editor’s note: Three (3) candidates are on the Rochester Town Election ballot for two (2) open seats on the Trustees of the Public Library. None of the three is an incumbent.
Heather Alford
With the new library director, I feel there’s new energy around the library and I would love the opportunity to play a part in overseeing the library activities, helping Kristen to get her objectives accomplished, and being a voice for my community in bringing some exciting new programming for all ages to the library and help make it more of the community hub it deserves to be. Our library is a hidden gem!
Jane Taylor
I am seeking a position on the Board of Trustees of the Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library to give back to a town resource that has given so much to me. Early on, the library was a great resource to us as we renovated the old farmhouse we had purchased. We were able to access information on the period in which the house was built and, in the process, learned a lot about the history of the town. My involvement with the new library began with moving books from the old Town Hall location to the newly built Joseph H. Plumb Memorial library. Shortly after, having joined the Rochester Women’s Club, I brought the idea of a Children’s Story hour to the membership. We hoped to staff the story hour on a rotating basis with club members as volunteer readers. With an enthusiastic response, I met with Mrs. Olive B. Winslow, longtime librarian at the time, who gave us the go ahead. In my long career in education – teaching children, educating teachers from preschool to college, and for 23 years as Old Rochester Regional School District’s Early Childhood coordinator and a developer of Project GROW, I attained a strong connection with and understanding of the needs of Tri-Town children and their families. Through grant opportunities available in the Early Childhood office, I was able to collaborate with the library, helping to build the children’s and parenting book collections. More recently, now reading almost exclusively for pleasure, I greatly appreciated the creativity of our talented library staff in providing books to patrons throughout the pandemic. This service was a welcomed oasis in that stressful time. Now that I am retired, I have the time to help support our new library director and to give back to this valuable town institution. I have always enjoyed helping to develop new services and start up new programs. Having lived in town for 50 years has given me a perspective of its growth and development over time.I would like to help that growth and development of library services continue as a library trustee.
Sarah Verbyla
My name is Sarah Verbyla and I am running for the position of Joseph H. Plumb Library Trustee. I have been a resident of Rochester for six years and a lifelong patron of libraries. I believe that libraries are an important resource intended to serve the entire community. I am running in order to help and guide the library in its mission to serve “all segments of the community,” “reflecting many points of view.” I am a licensed pharmacist, having worked in the hospital setting for seven years before transitioning to the IT department of a local healthcare system four years ago. From being a pharmacist, I have learned that sometimes “I don’t know, let me look into it,” is the best answer at a given moment. Working in IT has taught me there is no such thing as making a decision in a vacuum. Every decision affects the whole system in some way, and it is important to understand the potential implications of a decision. Both of these qualities would be brought into my role as Library trustee. If elected, top priorities would be to work on areas of weakness identified in the library five-year plan for 2021-26. Of particular interest to me are working to increase programming attendance, expand the library of things, and increase millennial outreach. Libraries have transformed into so much more than just a place to get books, and I would love to help further that transformation to become an even greater resource for our community. Thank you so much for your consideration.