Braintree Candidate Profile: David Ringius For Town Council

BRAINTREE, MA — November's election will bring some new faces to the Town Council. There's 17 candidates running for nine seats, and five of those races are wide-open.

The At-large councilor race is among the races with open seats. Although councilors Charles Ryan and Shannon Hume will seek re-election, Councilor Sean Powers decided not to run again, leaving one open at-large seat.

District 5 Town Councilor David Ringius will run for one of those three seats as well as challenger Carolann Ricardo.

Patch asked the candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near. Here's a little about Ringius before the Braintree town election on Nov. 5.

Previously on Patch:

• Braintree Candidate Profile: Thomas Reynolds Jr. For Mayor
• Braintree Candidate Profile: Charles Kokoros For Mayor
• Braintree Candidate Profile: Timothy Carey For Town Council
• Braintree Candidate Profile: Lawrence Mackin For Town Council
• Braintree Candidate Profile: Julia Flaherty For Town Council

The single most pressing issue facing Braintree is _______, and this is what do you intend to do about it?

The single most pressing issue facing Braintree is the future. I realize that sounds generic, and somewhat broad, but the future of Braintree is the only issue that really matters, and is one that is all encompassing. Braintree truly sits at a crossroads as we approach this election, and one could even say we are in the midst of an identity crisis, as various groups attempt to define our community.

The only way to move forward is to ask and answer three questions: 1. What is Braintree now and what defines us as a community? 2. What do we want and need Braintree to be in the future?; and 3. What needs to happen for this vision to come to fruition? These are not questions that can be answered by one candidate, nor one group. The answers to these questions must come from many people coming to the table and having their voices heard, and healthy debate occurring as where we go from here is discussed. Our town needs someone who can bring these voices together, to help sift through varying points of view, and who can mediate through differences. I know that I can be this measured voice, and approach these discussions in a thoughtful and deliberate manner.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The critical difference between the other candidates and I is the perspective we bring to the position. This is in no way a shot at anyone else, as I believe each individual running is doing so because he or she cares about our town and what the future holds. Each of us has our own experiences that have helped shape the way we look at things and the way we approach the issues our community faces.

From my tenure at the District Attorney’s office, and working alongside police and public safety personnel, I have seen first-hand the effects of drug abuse and crime on families. I have watched mothers and fathers in courtrooms who are living through the hell of drugs ravaging their children. I have sat in rooms with victims of crime, people whose lives have been altered, sometimes permanently because of the actions of others. This has cemented my commitment to the issues of combatting the scourge of opiates in our community, and ensuring our police and fire departments are equipped for the difficult tasks ahead of them.

From my time on the School Committee, I have seen the forward progress our schools have made in terms of capital improvements, and the impressive work all our staff had done in the education of our students. I have also felt the frustration of feeling as if my hands were tied on certain issues as to money and budgeting. This perspective has showed me that a collaborative effort is needed between all boards as we look to new buildings and continued improvements in our educational system.

From my time on the Town Council, I have felt rewarded as issues that affected our town were addressed, and favorable outcomes achieved. I have also again felt the sense of frustration that in certain matters, the Council lacks the power it needs to move forward on other issues affecting town. This perspective has shown me that the Council needs to make use of the powers prescribed to it, and the Council must hold itself accountable in ensuring issues are addressed in the correct manner.

From a personal perspective, I am the only current member of the Council with an elementary aged child. Additionally, I have a sophomore at Braintree High. I know and still feel the anxieties of a parent guiding their child through a changing world, and wanting to ensure our school system is both educationally and structurally sound.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

As noted through my answers, we must be committed to the future of Braintree, defining what it should be and how we get there. We must also make efforts to ensure we protect the sanctity of our neighborhoods, and to continue to protect our sense of community.

As to other issues (some of which are of course related):

Master Plan

Residents throughout town have let their voices be heard- that no comprehensive zoning overhaul should occur without an update of the Master Plan. I recently joined my fellow councilors in passing a resolution directing the Executive Branch to begin efforts as to this. I will continue to push this forward, and ensure the Council works with the new Mayor to bring this to fruition.

Public Safety

I will make efforts to ensure all our public safety personnel our receiving the training and support they need. This support is two-fold coming first in the sense of proper equipment and facilities. Our fire department needs to have its headquarters either re-built or completely re-furbished, and staff must be included in this discussion and we as a town must determine funding for it. Additionally, our firefighters need to be ensured proper gear. The incidents of cancers in these brave men and women nationwide continues to skyrocket; all necessary steps must be taken to prevent this.

Support also means ensuring our police and fire personnel have access to needed medical or mental health services. Police and fire see things every day that cannot be unseen; they carry images and memories with them of various tragedies. We must ensure any stigma regarding seeking help for these issues is removed, and that our brave men and women can be allowed to heal as needed.

Opiates and Substance Abuse Prevention

I will ensure the continuation of resources to combat these poisons that have taken far too many lives, and to develop new strategies for doing so. This approach must include a balanced approach of education for our youth, treatment for those battling addiction, and giving our police the proper tools to take those who peddle this poison off our streets.

Sports and Recreation for Our Youth

Braintree is committed to our youth, evidenced by the sheer amount of young people participating in a range of sports across our town. We also see this commitment in the hundreds of adult volunteers, who give freely of their time to coach, direct, and raise money for these programs. Sports give our kids a sense of belonging, of confidence, and of working to a common goal.
Our town needs to ensure the facilities we use for these sports reflects this commitment and pride. First off, the pool/rink must be built! Accountability as to this project must be determined, and set goals followed through with in a timely manner. When completed, this project will be a true community center and something this town not only needs, but also deserves.
I will also look to ways to explore funding, whether it be public/private partnerships or grants, to address some of our other facilities. This must include improvements to Daughraty Gym, and outdoor fields are athletes use. This look at our outdoor fields must look to proper maintenance, irrigation and drainage, and ensuring adequate playing areas.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have been lucky enough to serve our community in a variety of positions- as a member of the School Committee, as an Assistant District Attorney for Norfolk County, and currently as the Town Councilor for District 5. Through these positions, I have participated in a number of issues that have benefitted our town.

During my time on the school committee, I focused on school safety issues, drug and alcohol abuse, and increasing offerings for electives and other expanded learning initiatives at the high school. To that end, I chaired two different committees relative to drugs and alcohol. First, I led a committee made up of staff, parents, police, and students on our Chemical Health Policy and its application to students, to ensure such a policy was mindful of preventing the use of alcohol and other substances not only by athletes, but by all members of our high school community. This was an effort to achieve fairness and equity, and so that all students were held to the same high standards. Additionally, I led a collaborative group made up of teachers, nursing staff, police, and staff from across the spectrum of K-12 in ensuring Braintree’s education model as to the use of opiates and other drugs was in line with the current climate and the rise of overdoes we see throughout our state and country. During my time on the school committee, I also led the search committee that resulted in bringing current superintendent Frank Hackett to Braintree.

I worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Norfolk D.A.’s Office for over a decade. In that capacity, I prosecuted cases throughout every district court, the juvenile court, and Superior Court of Norfolk County. These cases included sexual assaults, family violence, and narcotics distribution cases. My passion though was for my work in the Juvenile Unit where I eventually rose to the role of Juvenile Unit Chief, supervising a team of assistant district attorneys in the prosecution of every delinquency and youthful offender matter across each community in Norfolk County. During my tenure there, I received the 2015 Timothy J. Spillane Outstanding Prosecutor Award.

In November 2017, I was elected to serve on the Town Council representing District 5. In that role, I have served as the Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Ordinance and Rules, the Chairman on the Committee on Education and Library, the Chairman on the Committee on Public Safety, and as a member of the Committee on Parks and Rec and Committee on Elder Affairs/Veteran Services. In this, my first term on the council, I advocated successfully for the passage of a Demo Delay Ordinance to protect various properties determined to be historically significant in town for proper recording and preservation. I have also attempted to serve as a leading voice against any zoning proposal that destroys the sanctity of our neighborhoods, and is not mindful of the concerns of residents. Through my role on Ordinance and Rules, I have delved deep into these proposals.

What's your favorite thing about Braintree?

My favorite thing about Braintree is the sense of pride we have in our community, and the sense of history and tradition we maintain in this town. Despite our differences, and despite the issues our town faces, at the end of the day, Braintree maintains a sense of small town pride. We see it in the support of our athletic teams at the high school. We see it in all those who take part in community events and clean up days. We see it in those who branch out and buy their first home elsewhere only to find themselves returning home later.

This is why as we move forward in any sort of planning or community development, we must maintain the sanctity of our neighborhoods and the sense of community we enjoy.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

After serving as the District 5 Councilor for the past two years, I announced in June that I would be seeking one of the three Councilor At Large seats.

Having lived here my whole life, I truly believe that Braintree is a great town, built upon a tradition of pride in our history. Our community is strong and vibrant, but we, like every city or town, have issues we must address if we are to continue to flourish. This will require strong leadership and direction, but also someone with the ability to listen to residents and be a voice for our community. I can and will be this voice!

I live here with my daughters, who attend Braintree High School and Hollis Elementary, and am committed to their future and the future of my hometown.

In addition to the town boards I have been involved with, I have also volunteered in various sports organizations throughout town. I have coached softball with Braintree National and South Braintree Girls Softball. With Braintree Youth Basketball and Braintree Youth Soccer, I have been a coach and grade level director. In fact, I was lucky enough to be one of the coaches of the Braintree 4th Grade Travel Team that won the Massachusetts State Championship tournament back in March. I enjoy seeing the confidence that sport and competition builds in children, and believe that sports and related activities are integral to future success.

I look forward to continuing to meet people across town in the weeks to come and hearing the thoughts and concerns that exist in the neighborhoods of Braintree.

For more information, please contact my team at daveforbraintree@gmail.com.