Foxboro Selectmen, School Committee Hopefuls Talk Budget, More

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The Foxborough town election on June 8 will see contested races for Board of Selectmen, School Committee and Housing Authority. But with the coronavirus pandemic hampering candidates' abilities to get together and discuss the issues, Foxboro Cable Access organized a virtual candidates' night to help inform voters.

Patch and the Foxboro Jaycees moderated the forum last Thursday. It saw the three candidates for selectmen, David Coffey, Jack Kerzner and Stephanie McGowan, as well as the two school committee candidates, Michelle Raymond and Salina Chowdhury, discuss key issues including the COVID-19 response, town and school budgets and downtown development.

Candidates for other positions submitted recorded responses prior to the candidates' night.

School committee candidates were asked the following questions, and their answers can be found at the following marks in the video below:

1. With COVID-19 impacting schools across the state and affecting budgets, what do you think will be the most important thing for you to do in your first year on the board to help students get the best education they can?

• Raymond: 12:36
• Chowdhury: 14:18

2. What would be your approach to balancing fiscal responsibility and all the needs of the students?

• Chowdhury: 17:48
• Raymond: 20:29

3. What important school issue do you think has gone to the wayside during the pandemic and how do you intend to approach it?

• Chowdhury: 23:46
• Raymond: 26.22

4. What role do you anticipate playing in helping Foxborough schools be safe to re-open in the fall?

• Raymond: 29:39
• Chowdhury: 31:40

5. What's your favorite thing about Foxborough?

• Chowdhury: 34:13
• Raymond: 36:07

Selectmen candidates were asked the following questions, and their answers can be found at the following marks in the video below:

1. With COVID-19 impacting municipalities across the state and affecting local budgets, what do you think will be the most important thing for you to do in your first year on the board to help residents get the services they expect?

• Kerzner: 1:23:53
• Coffey: 1:27:36
• McGowan: 1:30:12

2. What important town issue do you think has gone to the wayside during the pandemic and how do you intend to approach it?

• Coffey: 1:35:22
• Kerzner: 1:41:51
• McGowan: 1:46:04

3. Prior to the pandemic, there was a spirited debate between some residents on how to develop downtown, such as the brewpub proposal near the old firehouse? What’s your approach to new business and development in Foxborough?

• McGowan: 1:51:09
• Coffey: 1:55:47
• Kerzner: 2:01:19

4. What's your favorite thing about Foxborough?

• Coffey: 2:07:09
• McGowan: 2:09:20
• Kernzer: 2:11:13

Watch the full candidates night below.