State Rep. rises to challenge

State Rep. rises to challenge

Gobi secures $22K to update town hall balcony

Katie Landeck
News Staff Writer

WINCHENDON — It was a clear challenge.

State Rep. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer, attended the Winchendon Board of Selectmen meeting on March 24 hoping to garner support as she attempts to secure state Sen. Stephen Brewer’s, D-Barre, seat. During her speech, she encouraged the board to “see what she can do”.

Chairman Robert O’Keefe didn’t wait to take her up on the campaign promise — asking her to secure the funding to bring the Town Hall balcony banister up to code.

Earlier in the meeting, Rep. Gobi had mentioned the old fashioned bannister that wraps around the balcony in the auditorium. She said the intricate metal work proved  Winchendon was a “community of workmanship.”

The bannister, however, isn’t currently up to code — it’s too short — making the whole balcony unusable. Mr. O’Keefe challenged her to find the funding necessary to fix it.

Rep. Gobi has since  announced she has secured the necessary $22,000 as part of the Massachusetts Fiscal Year 15 House budget for the project.

“She met the challenge,” Mr. O’Keefe said, noting that he couldn’t help but laugh a little bit when she emailed him the news. “She really wants the people of Winchendon to want her to be their next senator.”

Since Winchendon is not a part of her current district, Rep. Gobi worked with state Rep. Jon Zlotnik, D-Gardner, to secure the funds. She said she enjoyed working with him.

Rep. Zlotnik was also pleased with the results of their collaboration.

“I was glad we were able to secure this funding in the budget,” said Rep. Zlotnik. “The improvements will make the balcony safe so that it can be utilized."

According to Mr. O’Keefe, town officials have been talking internally about trying to fund the balcony project for several years. He called it a small project, but noted that “the smaller items that are easier to obtain often fall through the cracks”.

Rep. Gobi said she was happy to take on this project and be of use to the Winchendon community.

“I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t think I could be helpful,” she said.

Rep. Gobi spent a substantial amount of time talking to other politicians about the importance of the project in order to obtain the funding in the budget.

“I felt it was a pretty easy argument to make,” she said.

Mr. O’Keefe said he expects he will be working with Rep. Gobi in the future.

“There are many projects we need and many we’ll discuss with her,” he said.

Since the $22,000 is only a part of the House budget right now, it still needs to go through the Massachusetts Senate and receive the stamp of approval from the Governor. Rep. Gobi said she is working with Sen. Brewer, who is chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, to keep it in the budget.

“Hopefully, it will stay in,” she said. “I can’t imagine the Governor taking it out.”

Rep. Gobi said her campaign is currently going well and has kept her very busy. Winchendon is not the only community that has taken her up on her offer to be of assistance.

Sturbridge asked her to find funding for a transportation project, which she secured through the transportation bond bill.

“So far I’m batting 1,000,” she said. “So we’ll see how it goes.”