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HOLDEN, Mass. — TheDailyHolden.com will be profiling the candidates for Holden's contested races for the town's local election. On May 14, voters will head to the polls to decide which two candidates will take seats on the Board of Selectmen, with Mark Ferguson, Jeremy Kurtz, and incumbents Ken O'Brien and Anthony Renzoni vying for the contested spots.
For seven years, Ken O'Brien has been a strong supporter of the schools and an advocate for the needs of residents in town, and now the incumbent selectman hopes to bring his experience to the board and continue working collaboratively to solve the issues which face Holden.
Eight years ago, O'Brien was initially drawn into the race for a seat on the board because he wanted to address education issues, and today he continues to feel strongly about the role schools play in the community.
"One of the important issues for me is the school system and having adequate supports for education in town, and I think that one of the things that that requires is that you have a real solid working knowledge of the finances of the town," said O'Brien. "I've really invested myself in understanding the history of the finances of the town, and then to try to apply the principle of fairness into that equation."
While O'Brien said there is often a perception that the selectmen's role is to defend the municipal budget, he emphasized the importance of looking at all the services in town as a whole, including the schools.
"Schools are a vitally important service that we provide, and we have to make sure that we do that well," said O'Brien. "Schools are the primary reasons people come out to Holden to live, and to the Wachusett region. But I really feel like we've had a lot of contentiousness, and we really need leaders who are going to not be contentious and not want to fight — but instead try to bring people together to meet all the needs and balance all the needs."
This has been easier said than done, given the polarizing nature of the issue, but while O'Brien recognized how tricky it can be, he has "tried to just be a level-head and make sure that I talk about solutions and not try and alienate anyone from the discussion."
In fact, for O'Brien, one of the things that he's learned is that to be an effective selectman, "you have to really invest yourself into being restrained," he said, adding, "I think I've changed a lot in that respect."
Though he admits that in his early years on the board he could be confrontational, as he "really wanted to get more spending for the schools," since then he has "learned over time that it was probably not the best way to approach those problems," and that "it's much better to try to bring people together and educate them about where we spend our resources and why one solution might be better than another."
Now he hopes to focus on more productive discussions and relationships with fellow board members.
"I've realized I have one vote out of five, and I'm only a small cog in the wheel, but the most effective thing is to educate people about what we're spending," he said.
"That's one of the reasons I think people should vote for me, because one of the things they can count on me to be is somebody that's conciliatory and tries to bring people together," O'Brien added. "I've really enjoyed this year more than any other year serving as selectman, because we have five people that really aren't strong egos. We can all agree to disagree on whatever issue it is, while in years past we have had some strong personalities, and it was very difficult to disagree. But I think we're in a place now where we have a really good group of selectmen that are smart and articulate."
Thinking back over his years on the board, O'Brien found his participation in reaching out to residents about the Public Safety Building project to be one of the most rewarding experiences.
"I realized at that stage of the game that I could have a big impact on issues if I really invested myself in things and made the case to people," he said.
"One of the things that I think is a real asset that I bring to the table is that I'm self-employed," said O'Brien. "I've been self-employed for 23 years, and it gives me a unique perspective on municipal government and the way we spend money. It's colored my approach to capital investments and spending on capital items."
While O'Brien says he has been one of the strongest opponents of excessive capital spending at times, he says he has also been very supportive of making the adequate investments when they are needed.
"I bring a real knowledge of how we spend money in town to the table," he said, explaining that while people might get the idea that he's a tax and spend liberal, he plans on being "fairly conservative when it comes to spending money."
Furthermore, with the big investments that the town will have to make in the next few years, like the Mountview Middle School project and "A DPW building that we're going to have to start talking about undertaking," O'Brien says Holden will need strong leaders to advocate and "educate the people about why we need to do some of these things, and the value of making these types of investments even though it does affect how much people have to pay to live here."
O'Brien said that another important aspect of being a leader in the community is to encourage involvement and volunteering in town government.
"Because we really rely on the human resources of the people in town to staff our boards and committees, and you really have to be someone that embraces people's efforts and encourages people to participate," he said. "We've been fortunate that we've had a lot of good people participate, and I'd like to think that I've been a positive force in encouraging that."
For more from TheDailyHolden's interview with Ken O'Brien, click the link to see the video.
Comments (10)
"Mark Ferguson knows "you people" are out there. He won't need YOUR votes."
You make it sound like Ferguson has some voter fraud up his sleeve or a little voter "suppression." Big surprise.
Viola: "You people"? Not very PC. Thanks to your Left side, I believe "You people" has become racist hate speech. Don't count your election chickens yet. Hold your spittle until May 15th. Mark Ferguson knows "you people" are out there. He won't need YOUR votes.
Pat Henry, your "man crush" on Ken O'Brien is a cause for concern. Between you and "Amber," neither one of you has come up with a single reason why anyone should vote for Mark Ferguson except the fact he's not Ken O'Brien. What has Candidate Ferguson ever given to this community except aggression and anger? His old self was on full display at the candidates' night. Hate to break it to you, but there are plenty of people who were reminded why they won't vote for Ferguson that night. Stuff him back in the closet. You people need a new front man.
Ms. Maximus: Haven't seen you here in the past 20 minutes. Are you o.k.? Is your O'Brien sign up? Have you put the finishing touches on your town meeting screed? Is Kenny performing per your instructions? Just wondering.
Ah the 'Facts according to Maureen Maximus' returns. Why let reality and verify able facts get in the way of a good story eh Maureen Maximus.
The contractor that did the Rice School project stated he didn't even know who O'Brien was and the chairman of the BOS wrote that O'Brien's claim of saving Rice School is 'pure fiction' but that doesn't seem to fit with Ms. Maximus' views of reality.
And Maximus wonders why so many people continually pick on her idol O'Brien. Go figure.
Long before there was any vote to save Rice School, there were votes to kill it. The town manager and the select board wanted it razed. Ken O'Brien spoke against that and stood with the Holden Center Neighborhood pushing against that decision until a solution could be found, a decision Ken was instrumental, along with others, in bringing about. Suddenly it was feasible and popular to save Rice School and the elbowing for credit began. Without Ken O'Brien, Rice School would have been long gone before any contractor became involved. It was Ken's advocacy that kept the issue front and center. Many of those now touting the success of saving the school were lobbying at the time for its demise.
Repeating Mr. Meyer's old distortions about Ken's actions doesn't make them true. Remember how he marched into court and remember how he was tossed out?
Mark Ferguson is hardly new blood and clearly he has not changed his tune. It's all Grover Norquist and raw anger, "disappointment" with the new town manager, threats to go to war with Worcester over water/sewer, rage at the school district over custodians and assistant principals. It was Mark Ferguson who championed years of "inequity" lawsuits which Holden lost, exploding our legal fees. It was Mark Ferguson who wanted to publish employees' salaries in the annual town report. It was Mark Ferguson who bullied more than one town department head in public. It was Mark Ferguson who, wearing his HAT hat, fought every capital project in town, costing millions in delays and increased building costs. The man who is all about the taxpayer never sees the big picture.
I will proudly vote for Ken O'Brien and hope others will as well. If he loses, he will go on and the town will be reminded, if Mark Ferguson gets in, why we voted him out.
“Ken O’Brien lost a tough election”? Maureen Maximum you must be kidding. Ken O’Brien’s loss by nearly 6,000 votes was akin to his standing at ground zero the day they dropped the bomb on Hiroshima.
And your claim that Ken O’Brien stepped up to save Rice School? The Rice School contractor himself credited town employee Dennis Lipka with his decision to renovate Rice School. Then select board chair Joe Sullivan called O’Brien’s Rice School claim just another “Fairy Tale”. By the way it was a 5-0 BOS vote to renovate Rice School not an O’Brien only vote.
Ken O’Brien has taken shots because he deserves to take shots. Has he done a few good things like Yahoo Kids and helping after the ice storm? Yes. Has he gotten caught making anonymous phone calls to Boston pretending to be someone else; been caught sending anonymous letters to Boston making false accusations against people; has he called for higher taxes; has he gotten caught writing demeaning letters about older town employees etc.? Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes!
It is time for new blood on our Select Board.
Ken O'Brien lost a tough election, then turned around and did something unprecedented. He offered to serve the town again, no whining, no blaming, no hiding. Ken O'Brien has endured years of slings and arrows, lies that are repeated in comments here once again, frivolous court actions repeatedly tossed out of court, yet he slogs away for this town with astonishing energy and good humor. His leadership of the YAHOO group and his ubiquitous, hands-on presence for weeks following the ice storm are two of many examples of his dedication to the town of Holden in addition to his service as selectman. He actually did step up when Rice School was on the chopping block. Amber and that Henry guy are not being truthful when they deny Ken's role. Ask the people in the center neighborhood which selectmen went to bat for Rice School.
Ken has taken shots because he recognizes that education is part of what a town must deliver and that the needs of children are as much a priority as the needs of taxpayers. He understands the delicate balance and has worked tirelessly to compromise and cooperate.
Now I will be attacked personally because I support him. More smears will be spread. As predictable as tomorrow's dawn.
What would your first act be if you were reelected? Would it be another anonymous phone call to Boston pretending to be someone else? Would it be another anonymous letter makeing all kinds of false accusations against people? Perhaps more false accusations against fellow select board members at another town meeting? How about more calls for higher taxes? Oh I know you could tell us again how you saved Rice School?
An you wonder why you lost your state rep bid by the astronimcal total of nearly 6,000 votes - you lost in every precinct in every town. You are only on our board now because you ran unopposed to fill Kim Ferguson's one year unexpired seat. You remember Kim don't you?
'Anybody but O'Brien' is sounding like a familiar battle cry.
Not mentioned, for once, is O'Brien's "rescue of Rice School". He had NOTHING to do with it!
That deal was made through contacts by other people. The man who bought the building for later conversion to condos has said as much. The rest of O'Brien's laundry list of his "accomplishments" and talents are figments of his and Maximus's imaginations.
The guy is a legend in his own mind.
Vote Mark Ferguson!