5 Questions For: Sean Rose, Worcester D1 Council Incumbent

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester residents living in City Council District 1 will have three choices on the September primary ballot with incumbent Councilor Sean Rose facing his first challenge since he won the seat.

Worcester Patch has asked each of the three candidates, which also includes Richard Cipro and David Shea Jr., to answer a questionnaire to help voters get to know them better.

Rose, 45, is the CEO of Thrive Support & Advocacy, a Marlborough-based nonprofit for adults and children with developmental disabilities. He was first elected as the District 1 Councilor in 2017 in a close race against Ed Moynihan to replace three-term councilor Tony Economou.

Here's what he says about his 2021 Council run:

Why are you running for City Council in 2021?

In 2017, I was motivated to run to improve the district and the city so that this can be a place where my four daughters come back to live and raise their families in the same way my wife did in District 1. That is still the spirit of why I am running. However, this third term, I am incredibly motivated to run in hopes of bringing people together. There is so much divisiveness in the country, and we've been through so much. I am eager to bring us all together and reaffirm our values through my actions, votes, and leadership on a municipal level. That divisiveness has no room here in our city. I intend to continue to deliver for the District.

A lot of development in Worcester has been focused on the downtown and Polar Park areas. What parts of District 1 do you think are in need of redevelopment, and are you focused more on jobs or housing?

Polar Park has allowed us to increase the tax base in the city, so it has had a positive residual effect on residents. We've done an excellent job of bringing significant development to Brooks Street in my time on Council. That was an underutilized area. We need to continue to monitor the vacancies in the West Boylston Street corridor. These are the main business corridors in the district, along with a section of Lincoln Street.

I am focused on both jobs and housing. I am very concerned about the eviction moratorium coming up and the unemployment benefits coming to an end. I am advocating for the incoming ARPA funds to support residents struggling to remain in their homes or to attain jobs. We need continue to increase the affordable housing stock and also create job readiness training and programs.

Parks are an underrated form of development. I am very proud of getting the funding for Indian Hill on Ararat St. and Tacoma St. in Great Brook Valley. The fact that we will enhance and improve the Empowerment Center in Great Brook Valley to offer these residents resources and supports to strengthen their quality of life is extraordinary.

The City Council voted 8-3 in March to adopt ShotSpotter Connect. How would you have voted and why?

Before this vote, we as a Council were happy to have given back the taxpayers a million dollars. This new technology came online somewhere near or over $250,000. This was at the height of COVID. I didn't think that this was the best use of taxpayer monies. ShotSpotter Connect was an unproven technology with very few outcome measures or metrics to confirm its efficacy. The "ShotSpotter" program does have outcome measures and a proven track record. I voted in support of that.

What's your stance on making WRTA buses free permanently? Following up on that, when was the last time you rode a WRTA bus?

I am in full support of the WRTA buses being free permanently. I have voted in favor of making the buses free and accessible. In full disclosure, it has been a while since I have been on a WRTA bus. However, I can tell you that growing up in poverty, the bus was our livelihood. We depended on it to survive in a lot of cases. I remember the struggle to ensure we had exact change, were early for it rain or shine and how disheartened we were when we missed it whether it was in or out of our control. Given my experience, I can respect how important this is for residents, and I will continue to advocate for free and accessible fares.

What's your favorite spot in D1 and why?

This is a tricky question. I have many favorite spots between Quinn's Pub, Indian Lake, Bancroft Tower, and the tree at the Burncoat Triangle. If I were forced to choose, I would say the softball field at Indian Hill on Ararat Street would be my favorite spot. My daughters played here for over a decade, and I volunteered there for that same time. I have so many fond memories there and have made so many meaningful relationships and best friends there. These friends have become my family and the people who stand by me through the best and worst times. Recently, we were at a party together, and one of the younger children asked us where we met. Schwartz Little League, of course! I can't help but smile when I drive by the field and see so many new people who will forge the same friendships that my wife, children, and I have been lucky to have cultivated over the years.