caa header

Please Vote for RJ Dourney on May 19th

Issues

What are your thoughts after a year of Town Manager style government?

In business one of the most important things we do for the people we work with is to hire the right person for the right job and to give them clear direction as to what we expect of them. In business we must set a course and ensure everyone understands their jobs and how they can help deliver the overall objective. Town government is no different.

The Town Manager position exists to provide a resource to the town. By establishing clear goals and objectives the Town Manager's priorities are laid out and measurable deliverables are established. This is also how you determine whether or not the Town Manager is doing his job. It's the Board of Selectmen's responsibility to establish the Town Manager's goals and evaluate performance against the goals.

While our Town Manager has been in position for a year, he still does not have goals and objectives. Had goals and objectives been established from the start, we could have moved forward during the past year. Instead we are talking about the same issues today that we were discussing two years ago at this time.

In short, I believe the Town Manager should have clear direction with measurable performance expectations and should be held accountable to those expectations.

Do you think the Town Manager's salary increase was appropriate?

The Board of Selectmen should not have given our Town Manager a 10% increase and an extra week's vacation after only 8 full-time months on the job, and without evaluating performance against measurable objectives.

How do you feel about the Board of Selectmen's 3-2 vote to not present an override budget to Town Meeting?

Since we have a town meeting form of government, I believe the Board of Selectmen should have provided the people of Hopkinton the opportunity to decide whether or not they want an override. The larger concern is the lack of leadership to develop and implement a strategy to get the town on sound financial footing.

We need leadership capable of setting a long-term vision for the town. Our objective should be to establish a responsible plan for financial stability and then set a course to achieve that end. An override should not be a last minute solution to a long-term problem.

Unfortunately in the absence of clear direction on the part of the Board of Selectmen over the past few years, we are faced with either deteriorating services or an override. Both could have been prevented with strong leadership.

Is the planned Legacy Farms development good for Hopkinton?

I have spent hundreds of hours during the past year working to deliver a powerful plan for Hopkinton specific to Legacy Farms. Serving on both the Zoning Advisory Committee (ZAC) and the Planning Board I have worked to ensure a revenue positive development that will add an estimated $2 million or more to our annual town revenue. We have listened to the community and championed a plan that will provide active open space for fields and trails. Over 500 acres will be preserved for the benefit of the community. The zoning change recommendation that ZAC has brought to the Planning Board is well thought out, detailed and capable of both protecting our interests and serving our greater good.

What is your leadership style?

Having spent the past 30 years leading organizations I have established a strong reputation as a leader. My style is very specific. I believe in surrounding myself with bright people, giving them clear direction and leading them to greatness. Leading Hopkinton is no different. My results oriented style is exactly what Hopkinton needs. I am not afraid to make tough decisions or to say what needs to be said. However, I take every viewpoint into consideration and know when to compromise to achieve consensus. The confidence our town needs is the confidence I can provide through a disciplined approach.

Where do you stand on commercial development in town?

I am an advocate of responsible commercial development. One of the best examples out there is EMC. This is a company committed to doing business the right way. EMC is an outstanding corporate citizen. They are committed to green development. Why does that matter? Because it shows a dedication on their part to be responsible members of the community.

Attracting responsible businesses is not easy. The truth is we are not only competing with Westborough and Southborough but Charlotte, North Carolina and Miami, Florida. If we want great companies we must act like we want them. We must treat them as though we want them in Hopkinton.

We must also provide them with the infrastructure they need to come to or expand in town. The fact that we still are without a wastewater treatment plant after voting in favor of it two years ago is shameful. Ask yourself this; has the Board of Selectmen worked to deliver what we asked for on Town Meeting floor?

I also believe the board of any organization must set the tone for the organization as a whole. In Hopkinton it is the charge of the Board of Selectmen to set a tone as to how we will deal with business. That tone must be one of cooperation and respect.

Not all businesses are the same. Not all development is good for Hopkinton. By holding ourselves to a high standard we are capable of demanding greatness from our corporate citizens. Some, like EMC, Caliper, and Stryker come with these standards and we should be thankful.

What are your thoughts on our school system?

One of the top things that motivated my wife and me to move to Hopkinton eight years ago was the schools. The work done by countless volunteers to make the new high school a reality was world class. We have a national reputation with colleges and universities across America as a tremendous school system. We all lose if that reputation is put at risk.

Only great leadership in Hopkinton can keep us on course, supporting our schools while being fiscally responsible. To fund great schools we need revenue. As a member of the Board of Selectmen I will work hard to ensure that we have a plan in place to deliver those revenues. I am also committed to responsible spending. As a businessman I survive based on responsible financial management. Creating a business-like culture of fiscal responsibility is crucial to our town's long-term financial health.

What are your thoughts about protecting the environment?

I believe strongly in conservation and stewardship of the environment. We have a moral obligation to maintain the beauty that nature has bestowed upon us so that our children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy what we have been blessed with. This is particularly true in Hopkinton where we have wonderful lakes, forests, and pastures that help to define the character of our town.

I am a fervent advocate of "green" development within the business community. This means using recycled materials, constructing energy-efficient buildings that meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification criteria, and leaving as much land as possible undisturbed. One of our considerations for granting a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) incentive to a business should be its commitment to "green" development.

Furthermore, as a Vice Chair of the Planning Board I have advocated development, both residential and commercial, that maximizes open space. The plan for the Legacy Farms project to set aside over 500 acres of active open space for the benefit of the community is a prime example of how this can be win-win situation for both a developer and the community.