Letters To The Editor: ​In Support Of Rhein​; Bring Back Koz

The following are letters to the editor. If you have a letter you would like to submit, you can email it to Mansfield Patch Local Editor Dan Libon at Dan.Libon@patch.com. Letters for the Nov. 14 special election will be accepted through Nov. 10.

In Support Of Neil Rhein

For 10 years, Neil Rhein and I have worked together on the Keep Mansfield Beautiful committee. This committee of nine, which Neil founded, has made numerous contributions to the community with its variety of programs and projects to increase the look and economic vitality of the town. He is skilled at recruiting and retaining volunteers, initiating and implementing new programs and advocating on behave of the residents’ interests. As a leader he listens to the variety of ideas and possible solutions and together a plan emerges.

The decisions, policies and actions that the Board of Selectmen make can have a direct impact on our lives and how our town moves forward. Neil will be a terrific addition to our board bringing consensus, creativity, inclusion and action. I encourage residents to vote for Neil Rhein.

Nancy Wall

Bring Back Kozlowski

Dear Residents of Mansfield, I am writing to share with you the reasons I am supporting Olivier “Koz” Kozlowski for Selectman on November 14th.

An attorney, Koz has lived in Mansfield with his wife Laura and two children, Jordan age 18 and Aleks age 12, since 1993. After 20 years of service to Mansfield on various Boards and Committees, Koz is practically a household name here in Mansfield. But it is his previous work on the Board of Selectman where he feels he contributed his intellect and interpersonal skills the best.

The three guiding principles he follows are fiscal responsibility - keeping costs in check; transparency and open government; and having a board that can work well together.

Fiscal Responsibility: During his previous tenure as Selectman Koz voted for two "under-rides," where the town agreed to limit taxes to the number voted on at town meeting, not the higher amount available under Prop 2 1/2 due to unexpected new growth. Koz also supported two electric rate rebates to the ratepayers when the electric department finances permitted that. All of these initiatives passed!

Transparency and Open Government: When my husband and I first came to town in the early 90s, very little financial information about the town was available to taxpayers. If you were lucky enough to know the right people you could get it, but it wasn’t easy. Koz saw to it that the weekly spending warrants, employee contracts and much more financial information made its way to the town's website. People shouldn't have to ask for this information; it should be at your fingertips!

Having a Board that can work well both among its own members and in the larger town community: During his previous tenure as Selectman Koz was instrumental in bridging the then large chasm between the town and its school system. For those of us who remember we went from an annual battle between the schools and the town over the budget, with yearly threats of over-rides, to having a Board of Selectman that was able to work together with the School Board to present a unified budget, well in advance of town meeting! Our children were taken out of the cross hairs of the warring factions and the town felt more like a functioning concern than a dysfunctional family.

I’m hearing other candidates talk about projects they'd like to see happen or places they'd like to see revitalized, without addressing how, or how they would pay for it. While on the board, Koz was aware that there had been inquiries about a community garden. He did the research, found town-owned land on Essex Street that wasn't subject to conservation restrictions that would prevent agriculture, got the YMCA to operate it and we now have a community garden for citizens. We used what we already had, without incurring excessive costs and Koz made it happen!

It’s this kind of ingenuity and commitment to his core principles that leads me to the decision to support Olivier Kozlowski for Board of Selectman. I hope you will consider supporting him as well.

Bring back Koz! Thank you.

Eileen Cusack, 6 Conrod Court