State Senate candidate to visit Templeton
Sturbridge man seeks Brewer's postEryn Dion
News Staff Writer
TEMPLETON — Republican James Ehrhard will host a “Coffee with the Candidate” meeting at the Country Mischief store near the town common Saturday afternoon, giving residents a chance to meet the candidate and ask the hard questions.
Mr. Ehrhard launched his campaign for state Senate in October and he has had several events throughout the district since, including apple cider meet-and-greets in November in Petersham, West Brookfield and Sturbridge. He said he hopes to visit every town in the district, which is no small feat as the seat is the second-largest Senate district in the state, stretching from Winchendon south down to Wales.
“We made a promise to have an event in all of the 28 towns in the district,” Mr. Ehrhard said.
According to Mr. Ehrhard, Templeton was a good choice for this weekend’s event due to its central location and easy accessibility for residents coming from surrounding, less-populated areas.
On Saturday morning, he will be at Dad’s Diner in Charlton from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. before heading up to Country Mischief from 2 to 4 p.m. He will also be making a stop at the Day & Night Diner in Palmer on Sunday afternoon.
“Personally I’m looking forward to going to Country Mischief myself,” Mr. Ehrhard said.
Invitations to this weekend’s event were mailed out to residents who voted in the 2010 and 2012 Republican primaries, and Mr. Ehrhard hopes will come out and make their concerns known.
State Senator Stephen Brewer, who announced his retirement earlier last month, currently presides over the district and has a long-established history in the area, serving since 1989 on Beacon Hill and carrying a reputation for always being available to talk to constituents.
Representative Anne Gobi (D-Spencer), who is also vying for Brewer’s seat, has laid down strong roots in the area as well, serving in the House for more than 13 years.
“We want to continue the great tradition of an accessible state senator,” Mr. Ehrhard said. “Having the meet-and-greet shows that pattern we hope to continue after we take office.”
In addition to Rep. Gobi, another Republican, Mike Valanzola of Wales, is already out on the campaign trail.
Mr. Valanzola visited Templeton in early January, dropping in on the Templeton Country Store to speak with local people.
Mr. Ehrhard lives in Sturbridge and is the owner of Ehrhard & Associates P.C. law firm and has been actively involved in local politics, serving on the Tantasqua Regional School District Committee and the Sturbridge Republican Town Committee for years.
This looks interesting. Wonder about his position on the "nuclear option"?
ReplyDelete& I wonder about his position on the $505,000 shortfall, & lack of closing last years books yet.
DeleteI am more interested to know his thoughts on a state legislature penning a letter to a state agency basically condemning them for doing something a town through it's board of selectmen asked them to do. That would be the DOR financial review of Templeton and where MS. Gobi wrote a letter to the DOR on that very subject which was less than encouraging, thus interfering in local town governance while later refusing to assist in a question of election procedure stating it is a local issue. While the two major political parties may not always act in the interest of the voters, I for one would rather have a mix of two or more political parties rather than be dominated by say democrats. I would hope this candidate would be more apt to ask local officials to follow up on recommendations of the dept. of revenue to stop the use of free cash to balance a budget and first try a tax override to at least try to keep a tax rate in line with inflation at the very least. Who ever asked a state rep. and a state senator to condemn the DOR probably added to or started the strained relationship between the DOR and Templeton, which does not help the taxpayers of Templeton at all. If we do not like the so-called nuclear options, we should try to change the makeup of the school committee. All selectmen should remember they are not suppose to be a rubber stamp for the school district which is a separate legal entity from the town, rather selectmen should look out for the taxpayers and remember the school budget is one of the largest bills of the town which the taxpayers have to pay.
ReplyDeleteDAMN! Stop blaming the past! Its your job, as the chairman, to implement the DOR review. You have had more than enough time to do it. Stop blaming & just fix the damn problem!!!!!
DeleteIt is not my job as chairman, it is the job of all selectmen acting as a board as in votes to implement anything. The above is not blame and it is a fact that happened and I would be interested in the views on this by this candidate so I can make a judgement call when I enter the voting booth. So before I vote, I wish to ask the question because if he feels that was appropriate action then I will cross him off my list. A chairman has 4 duties, approve the agenda for a meeting, ensure the meeting is posted properly and has all required information, keep the board and attendees focused on the agenda and to keep an orderly meeting and that is all. The board collectively acts per votes. If the board votes to implement the review it is by a majority vote. If the chairman of any board could do things on his own, there would be no need for meetings now would there. So you can see, I really said I am not interested in voting for Ms. Gobi and now I want to know how this candidate feels about that action and see how he answers it. You opined above you are interested in how he feels about the $505,477.00 shortfall and lack of closing FY13, that is your question and this is mine, sorry you don't like my question to the candidate but I guess that is why we have elections. Oh, fixing the problem is not my job, that is up to the taxpayers at town meeting, as in do they vote for an override, cut the budget or use any certified free cash or a combination of any of the options.
ReplyDeleteWow. So according to you, none of this business is your job?!? If your only job is to approve the agenda, then sit there & just look important while passing the buck to everyone else, including us taxpayers, exactly how many times have you put the DOR on the agenda?
DeleteWhy is it Puffy and others do not want the people in this town to look back ?? Dam, if the trail would take us to the reason we are in this mess, and who put us there. It just may provide the people in this town with the answers to who held the light, and who brought the shovel, and who dug the hole. One thing for sure, it would give us enough reason not to go down this road again. It looks like enough reasons to me to do some digging. I agree with Jeff, give me a person who will do the job he is paid to do, not a clone of the person who is in that space now. Our town has had enough of the run around to last us for a good long time. It is time for us to back a person who will march to a different drummer, all we have to do is ask. Bev.
DeleteIts great to look back & try to figure out who did what, but NOT at the expense of fixing the damn problem. My Dad always said, "if you find yourself in a hole, Stop digging"
DeleteWe elected the current board to "fix the problem". They seem content to not do a damn thing except try to find someone to blame. Just fix the problem..... STOP DIGGING!
Puffy,
ReplyDeleteGovernment is a slow process. It seems as if you want the BOS to conduct business behind closed doors or by email away from public view.
The BOS has to follow the rules of ethics and open meeting and the bylaws policies and procedures of the town. It is a slow process.
WTH? Where on earth did you get that from?? OML's have nothing to do with blaming whatever happened years ago. Exactly how many YEARS are needed to implement the DOR review? How many years are needed to present a financial plan? You've had MORE than enough time.
DeleteSTOP DIGGING?
ReplyDeleteI just passed my excavators license test, things have just started to be uncovered!
Huff and Puff,did daddy tell you to respect others too!
It seems you don't take that advise,if he did!
How would you know anyway?
You hide!!!
Another off the wall comment.... Not once have I been disrespectful. Unlike you just did, I don't attack people personally. I simply question why they continue to cast blame, instead of using that precious time to fix the problem.
DeleteOh puffy your Still an idiot.
DeleteYOU HIDE!!! And i'm OFF the wall??
ReplyDeleteHelp out,advise,unvail who you are. Then you can judge anything,anyone.
Till then you are all wall!!!
1st. I don't answer to YOU!
Delete2nd. Stop avoiding & deflecting. Stop the personal attacks, which Bev seems to be OK with if your on her team. Giving you my name on a silly blog will not make $505,000 appear in books that aren't even closed yet. It will not make business want to come to Templeton. It will not solve our financial woes. So, eye on the ball Dave.
Puffy,
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of deflecting…
OML violations, ethic complaints, public record requests have everything to do with everything. Transparency in local government operations will go a long way to rebuilding the trust that is needed in this town in order to accomplish anything. In my opinion, trust needs to be re-established BEFORE an override will pass. In my opinion, this town needs to advocate for an override to address the structural deficit ($505,000) that has been created over the many years by the use of stabilization funds and free cash to operate the town.
It took 4 years to get the BOS to adopt the recommendations of the DOR Review (available for download on the left hand sidebar).The BOS has voted to post the position for a town administrator. The personnel board has been abolished. Work continues on the PILOT payment agreements as well as regional agreements.
BTW, I'm not the selectman adding to the DIGGING….adding to the $505,000 deficit.
Lol. Your not getting another override. Speaking of which, where are all those drastic cuts you were threatening on the previous override?
Delete1ST :YOU HIDE MORE and ADD less every day.
ReplyDelete2ND :Are you not worth a name?
3RD :not taken seriously EVER!!!
4TH :you have no clue,Quiter!!!
5TH: Must not be proud of anything you write on a silly blog!
What would your name tell the people who view here?
The whole story behind you attacking anyone and everyone here.
Your spin is not working ask O'riely on FOX!
Again with the personal attacks. Is this the only way you know how to attempt to debate? Is that your only response? Personal attacks?? I, unlike yourself, have not attacked anyone on here. I simply ask point blank questions & expect answers. Not deflection & blame. Their is no spin from me, just simply use their own words back on them when they deflect.
DeleteWhy is it so hard to answer simple questions without personal attacks?
Why do you stck to only one stage name?
ReplyDeleteIt is very clear you have an agenda and to smear this blog and all who opine!
1-You hide.2 you make no suggestions3 you hide and hide again4when attacked by a multi no name stager is it your best?
5you seem to be alone to do this and i can see the need for several stage names. It's not hard to come CLEAN own your post like the rest of us do,but you can't!!!6how can it be personal to an unknown? 7 the story would stamp this as a blog under attack by those to be uncovered for their past doings!!!
Getting closer every day!
Your not living up to your surname, Dave. I am not one of those guys. I am one person, who knows enough to ask the right questions, & point out the inconsistencies in logic. There is no hidden agenda or grand conspiracy. Plenty of people who read this blog but choose not to engage in the frivolity of it, know who I am. I stated, in the beginning, that I hate small town politics. Its like Junior High School all over again. But I could see that Julie/Jeff/Bev, were misinforming everyone about the school budget. I tried to warn you what could happen, but they attacked. I'm trying to warn you again. Please don't attack, just get my questions answered. After all, we should have already run out of money.........
DeleteNot after the loan we just got! Did the light company miss the funds before?
ReplyDeleteCall it silly all you want,what that makes you is the other silly"no name"on it!
Daddy must be proud? Not! NONAME! Who said they were guys anyhoo?
Maybe this should go to a members only post blog! I'll have to talk to uncle Paul!
A loan is not the answer. We have to pay that back! WITH INTEREST! That just cost us even more money!
DeleteAnd if this goes to a members only club, not only does it defeat the sole purpose of this blog, but it also takes away whatever little credibility it has left. A completely one sided blog serves no purpose to the town & its voters.
May is coming soon, maybe Puffy should run for a position on the BOS. This would give us all the answer to how this town should run. It is easy to sit in the cheep seats, or be a Monday morning quarter back !! Seeing that we have a problem now, I think Puffy should give us some solutions to the problems we have. What misinformation did I spread about the school budget ? Knowing the shape the town was in at the time, Ms. Miller did not have to come after every cent the town had, and in the process crap over the will of the people who had voted no more than once. This blog is to provide information to the people in this town. So if you are batman, Puffy or Ken, contribute or take your wealth of information, or lack there of, to the Greater Gansett web site. Bev.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI have tried to contribute Bev. But when your exhausted selectmen will not answer very simple questions, its hard to have a conversation. Remember, Bev. We sit together in those same cheap seats. You are not an elected official. We each have a vote and a voice, that's it. I will voice my opinion wherever I so choose, & if our selectmen are going to speak on a public blog, I will continue to question them. After all, that's why we're all here.
DeleteTo Join would be to contribute and not hide!
ReplyDeleteGuess you would be "out" one way or another! the control would be so again at election time your stage name would not influence the out come and info on this blog.
I agree on the loan part. I wonder when the TMLWP is 106 years old why they have the debt they do!
One would think they would have the extra to not need the loans and the cost to go with them.
Where did the money they had go? 106 years old and further in debt than ever. They charge us plenty for the power,as much as the private suppliers do. They do it because the others do too.
From the cheep seats everything looks a lot easier than it really is. There are rules that the people who run our town have to answer to. Rules or circumstances we sometimes do not understand. When the previous selectmen ignored huge problems in our financial system they did not do the right thing and point this out. The ponzi game has been a ongoing game for to long. The people in office today are dealing with problems everyone else ignored, and these problems did not start last year. If they overreact, some will say they should have waited to make changes, and vice versa. There is no way these people can make everyone happy, so they will do the best they can not to hurt the town any more. These people are the clean up crew and that is the reason Echo Hill is working their asses off to try to make our present Bos look bad. This board is not going to do things behind the backs of the people who pay the taxes for everyone who works for this town, or uses the things the voters have paid for. Once the voters understand this, I do hope we will have the cooperation of most of these residents. Bev.
Delete