Peter (and Dean)
Thanks for your important and difficult questions and I apologize for the delay in answering. I will try to catch up with all frambors questions to candidates.

Your concern that “Framingham, with its abundance of subsidized housing and social service facilities, will, like New Bedford, Holyoke, and a handful of other "hub" cities, bear the brunt of early release programs in Massachusetts.” is shared by many Framingham residents. 

I will address this issue and your questions which are listed at bottom of the page.

I was principle author of, and fully support, the PILOT Committee Majority Report. The report shows that Framingham's interests have not been represented in the State social service delivery system for the 15 years that we studied. Our government was not an active participant in the State process. This led to the development of a large and unregulated social service industry based in Framingham that primarily serves the needs of the State and other communities, making Framingham an unfunded regional center or "hub" for State services.

In a meeting with Fred Habib, undersecretary of Health and Human Services, he told us that the State did not determine the actual siting of facilities or create "hubs", but rather the corporations who receive the contracts, the money and the clients from the State create these.

The PILOT Committee Majority Report included many recommendations, several specifically to bring Framingham into this State system and process. The Board of Selectman adopted our recommendations and has been actively pursuing them over the past 18 months.

One of the most important actions taken by the Board of Selectman has been to hire a
Human Service Coordinator who is an advocate for the Town. In order to serve the needs of our community and Framingham residents, we must be engaged, committed and active in the process. Framingham’s need for this level of participation is critical.

In recent years, the State approach for providing services has started to follow a regional model. In particular, the State has created 8 regional centers for those re-entering communities from prison. Framingham is one of them. The direct impacts on Framingham of hosting this re-entry center has not been directly determined.

 

If elected Selectman I would continue my efforts to ensure that Framingham is engaged in the State system and I will actively advocate for the needs of our community. I support the ongoing development of relationships with State agencies, other communities and local service agencies. I support our efforts to gain legal oversight of services in Framingham and would encourage a self-assessment of the needs of Framingham residents and support working on a plan for our Town, in conjunction with the State and local communities, to address those needs. Worcester and Hyannis are already doing this, and we can too.

You ask several questions related to our revenue stream and how we can
financially address our position. There is a direct connection between this question and your focus on the State re-entry centers and the cost/reimbursement factor.

I have compared the State aid given to the 8 communities hosting the State regional re-entry centers. Framingham receives $377 State aid per capita: Lawrence $1,985, Springfield $1,884, Brockton $1,545, New Bedford $1,470, Worcester $1,21, Boston $764, and Quincy $421.

Framingham ranks last.

This inequity of funding needs to be addressed.  Framingham needs to stand up for its rights. As your Selectman, I will stand up for Framingham.

Our need for this strong representation and proactive involvement cannot be emphasized enough. From the 12/8/07 report of the Special Commission to End Homelessness in Massachusetts details were described of State plans to actively create “Regional Coordinating Networks” that will; “be responsible in their geographic areas, for implementing an effective system of early warning, uniform assessment and decision making, as well as targeting of appropriate resources to the right people at the right time and in the right locations.”

The Commission’s overall recommended approach is to “utilize and build upon already existing regional or local networks”.

Framingham is almost certainly on the short list for candidate hubs. Ending homelessness is a good and noble effort, but is not right that we are excluded from the planning process by the State and agencies. We must continue to advocate for our needs and be a voice in this system. 

Our community is very lucky to have a creative and proactive police department which believes that community based solutions and strong relationships are a part of public safety. They have been and continue to be several steps ahead of other communities and address any public safety issue in Framingham thoughtfully and vigorously.

A great example of this is Chief Carl’s awareness of and concerns about the safety of our libraries as reported in the PILOT Majority report. In our discussion with him in March 2006, and as reported in our report, he said

“the newest problem facing the police department and the community is that homeless individuals leave the shelter during the day when it is closed and then spend the day in the library or wandering the downtown streets until the shelter opens up again. This behavior is having serious impacts on the library patrons and employees.”

In my most recent meeting with Chief Carl (2/7/08), he praised the strong working relationship he has with the Board of Selectman. He emphasized that his success in all public safety issues is made possible by the Board’s willingness to critically assess the issues facing our community, looking at where we are, where we want to be and doing what needs to be done to get there.

I support and will continue this relationship and this approach as a member of the Board of Selectman and will continue to put the public safety of all our residents
as one of my top priorities.

Laurie Lee
Candidate for Selectman


Peter’s questions:

Specifically you ask the following:
What can we do to enhance Framingham's revenue stream to deal with this and
other problems?

What can Framingham's libraries do to ensure the safety of its patrons in
light of what happened in New Bedford, and the reported presence of Level 3
sex offenders in our Framingham library downtown?

What can Framingham police do to proactively deal with the problem, given
the lack of funds and the arrogant attitude by the state that the town
doesn't need to be told about early releases or contracts with social
service agencies to house parolees?

What can the Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting do, absent any leadership
or cooperation from the state, and often with obstruction from the state and
legal challenges from social service providers?

Finally, what can the town as a whole do to force the legislature to deal
with this problem?