Q&A about Tom Miller Q. Why is Tom Miller running for Selectman, Bolton, Mass? A. Tom is running because he thinks he has the experience, the qualifications, and the vision to best represent the citizens of Bolton as the Town deals with issues that will dramatically affect Bolton's future. Q. What experience does Tom Miller have for a position as Selectman? A. He has spent the last fifteen years dealing with communities to develop urban revitalization and development plans. For those of you not familiar with this program, it is the remnants of the old urban renewal program from the 1960's that are now being used by municipalities throughout Massachusetts. He has been involved in urban revitalization plans for Worcester, Chelsea, Fall River, Lowell, Lawrence, Fitchburg, Attleboro and Webster. This has resulted in $33 million investment by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in Worcester (Medical City Project), $10 million investment by the Commonwealth in Lowell (the Acre), $14 million investment by the Commonwealth in Fitchburg (Fitchburg downtown), the creation of a hotel complex in Chelsea, the creation of an incubator for textile manufacturing in Fall River and the creation of an industrial park in Attleboro. For the last three years Tom has been a contract employee of the Boston Redevelopment Authority to assist them in the acquisition, relocation and site preparation for the $750 million Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in South Boston. The City of Boston has expended to date approximately $205 million on this effort. As of the beginning of this year, Tom has also been assigned by the BRA to facilitate the Crosstown Project, one of the Menino Administration’s top priorities and a project recently profiled in numerous Boston Globe articles. Q. What professional qualifications does Tom Miller possess? A. . Tom Miller is a licensed Architect in both Colorado and Massachusetts. He received a BArch from Rhode Island School of Design in 1978 and license to practice architecture in 1982. He was a partner in the architectural firm of Stopfel Miller from 1988-1991 and was responsible for the renovation of Horticultural Hall in Boston, which received a Historic Preservation Award from President Ronald Reagan. Tom also received an award from the Boston Society of Architects for the design of the new Emerson College Campus proposed for Lawrence Massachusetts. Locally, his former firm also designed the renovation of Skinner Gallery on Main Street. (Tom also has a sense of humor. According to Tom, "Bob Skinner was the one who brought me to Bolton. Blame him!") Q. How will Tom Miller apply his experience and qualifications as Selectman? A. Tom Miller’s body of work has given him the ability and perspective to see how numerous communities deal with basic issues of delivery of services, politics, public process, public expenditure of funds, financing, taxes, public schools and public safety issues. He has the ability to call upon this experience and apply it to Bolton where appropriate. He feels that a global perspective is critically important, especially when confronted with the issues now facing Bolton. For example, because of his work in the towns of Grafton and Shrewsbury, he has been offered assistance by the Town Managers in both towns on issues facing Bolton, such as 40B housing and open space acquisition Q. Where does Tom Miller stand on the issue of public safety along Route 117? A. The issue of public safety is paramount to the role of Selectman. Bolton is too small to compartmentalize any issue. Suggestions heard in Town to leave the safety of children going to and from school to the School Department and Police Department misses the point. Massachusetts General Laws give no equivocation on the issue of rights of pedestrians in a crosswalk. Why should Bolton? Tom believes that this issue should be put under the microscope and discussed, especially when the former police chief indicates in his column in the Bolton Common that a system was instituted, with full consent of the School Department, that did not allow student use of public crosswalks. This avoidance of the problem is why Bolton is now confronted with the responsibility of finding a real solution. And that solution will require the full participation of the Selectmen. If anyone thinks that that caring about all children’s safety as if they were his own children is sensationalizing the issue, then Tom stands guilty of the charge. Q. Where does Tom Miller stand on the controversial Sunset Ridge Housing Development? A. Tom is concerned about the Board of Appeals Decision regarding this proposal because of a number of factors. (For a more comprehensive discussion, the Miller campaign has prepared a separate statement in response to this Decision.) First and foremost, the legal work on this issue was less than adequate. The opinions given to the Town were suspect, even in the eyes of the Selectman, the Conservation Commission and Town Meeting. To move forward with this project without a completed second legal opinion on the issue of easement rights has the effect of pushing the problem off into the future. According to Tom , "The last thing we should do is to move something along to avoid taking the difficult stand." In his view, the legal strategy on Sunset Ridge was not based upon what was in the best interest of Bolton residents, but rather on avoiding the intimidating tactics of the developer. Every project he has worked on for the last 15 years has had individuals threatening legal action against a community and that is when leadership is most sorely needed. Tom believes that it is disingenuous to say privately that you support the community on an issue but when the time comes to make a public decision, you take the opposite position. That’s what leadership is about and why Tom is the best candidate for the job.
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