The Hamilton Planning Board Election

It may be hard to believe, but it's true.

Richard Boroff is running for elective office... AGAIN!

This time he's trying for a seat on the Hamilton Planning Board.

He has posted a request that you vote for him on Facebook, along with more than a dozen of his own comments and opinions, as well as suggested links to statements and his candidacy. We believe it is important that voters also hear the views of those opposed to his candidacy.

In his plea to voters Richard Boroff states (QUOTE):

“The Planning Board needs thoughtful members who are good listeners….”

And he reminds readers that he:

“served as a member of the School Committee.”

Voters should know that Richard Boroff has run for the School Committee THREE times in recent years, and he has been soundly defeated all THREE times.

Alert #1: That’s a clue as to how others view his demeanor and qualifications.

He subsequently sought a seat on Hamilton’s Finance and Advisory Committee…and he was denied appointment to that committee.

The last time he decided to run for the School Committee, he chose to RESIGN his position as an alternate on the Planning Board in order to do so.

Alert #2: That’s a clue as to his sense of commitment.

Since he is now running for the Planning Board, let's talk about Richard Boroff's skill set and background regarding planning and land use. When he originally sought the position of alternate to the Planning Board, he was asked by the Planning Board if he had any background in planning, Mr. Boroff's answer was:

"Absolutely none."

While a planning background is not a prerequisite for sitting on that important board, it is certainly a worthy goal.

When asked by the Planning Board:

"Did you have a problem with the police during the last election?"

Mr. Boroff answered:

"Yes, I did. There was a question of whether I was harassing, or could be harassing a candidate. That was not my intention. My intention was to warn that candidate."

Really? The candidate did not did not believe that was his intent. Yes, Mr. Boroff was "warning" the candidate. He was warning him that if he remained in the race, he (Mr. Boroff) would make public negative information about the candidate that the candidate might not like.

Alert #3: Harassment…or attempted blackmail?

And when Planning Board member, and now chairman, Claudia Woods voiced concern that the police might have considered his phone call blackmail, Mr. Boroff's reply was:

"The police were wrong. The police made it clear that it could be considered harassment, but it was not intended to be harassment."

Really? He expects us to believe that?

Consider this... That is not the only instance when Mr. Boroff has deliberately intimidated residents of Hamilton. Hamilton resident Jim Kent received a harassing message from Mr. Boroff on his home phone answering machine when he was opposing an override that Mr. Borroff supported. It was so intimidating that Jim felt compelled to call the police to report the incident. Hamilton resident Betty Dunbar also received what she calls a "very threatening" phone call from Mr. Boroff. He told her she had no right to be meddling in "school business" (she opposed an override) and she remembers how inappropriate and intimidating his phone call was. Hamilton resident Betty Gray received an email stating she "should consider moving out of the district" to "ease the community from having to listen to your incessant bluster." There are more examples, but we expect you get the picture.

Mr. Boroff has stood before School Committee meetings and Town Meetings and publicly stated that residents should just "leave Hamilton" if they did not like an issue he supported.

Alert #4: He’s not, as he claims, a “good listener”.

At the same meeting that Mr. Boroff was seeking appointment as an alternate to the Planning Board, he was also questioned by Planning Board member Ed Howard who was concerned about Mr. Boroff's "following" him. Mr. Howard stated that Mr. Boroff indicated he had been "following" him for many years. Mr. Boroff's reply was:

"I have kept track of you, as I have kept track of many other people in town…you have nothing to fear of me unless you do something wrong. And if you do something wrong, then you have something to fear of me."

After that statement, several board members expressed concern, including long-serving member Peter Clark, who commented:

"I think the spirit of a Planning Board member is not to keep track of people…We need very unbiased and open-minded people."

Mr. Boroff has repeatedly shown, by his actions and words, that he is anything but unbiased and open-minded. It's his way, or the highway (as in "leave Hamilton").

Mr. Boroff is a borderline stalker (as he admitted to Ed Howard), he is extremely rude (as he has publicly displayed at School Committee and Town meetings) and he carefully and deliberately harasses those that disagree with him (as noted above). He seems to relish spreading the "fear" he spoke of in his quote.

Final Alert: Mr. Boroff is not the kind of person residents should want representing them on the Planning Board...or any other board for that matter.

Along with so many others in Hamilton, we urge you not cast your vote for someone so unqualified, obstructionist, and disruptive to serve on such an important Hamilton board.

Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.

Jay Burnham
Bob Gray & Shirley Gray
Bea Britton
Betty Gray
Susanna Colloredo-Mansfeld
Betty Dunbar