Londonderry News

I am a candidate for the Londonderry Town Council. As a resident of Londonderry for the last thirty years I have seen the town change from a quiet farming community to a commuters suburb to Massachusetts. With that growth, many changes and challenges face our Town and we need a Town Council that is committed to meeting those challenges. I believe I have the qualifications necessary to meet those challenges.

My experience in town government includes two years Budget Committee, where I currently serve as Vice Chairman. I have also served on the Town’s Information Technology Committee as well as the Housing Task Force. In each of these positions I have gained a unique understanding not only of how the Town’s budget operates, but the School Department’s as well. During these last two years, this Budget Committee has compiled and published several years of summarized financial and budget information that provides voters a snapshot of the Town and School District’s growth for the voters use at Town Meeting. Additionally, I have worked to move both the Town and School District to control costs and minimize local taxes.

This year I brought up the need to enact an ethics code to provide a clear document outlining what elected officials and volunteers can and cannot do. I was also instrumental on the Budget Committee in asking that the School Department seek out alternatives to the announced South School Classroom Replacement Bond. I asked for these alternatives because, like you, I am aware of the ever increasing burden local taxes is having on the residents of Londonderry. While I do support the project as now proposed, seeing the alternatives was important for me in coming to that conclusion, because, I believe that over the long term, this project will provide a better return on our tax dollars.

I am also supporter of the petition warrant article that would transfer the unused balance in the conservation fund to pay for a desperately needed North Fire station. A project that could be completed without any additional impact on our tax bills.

If elected, I would continue to look for alternatives to large spending projects. I would work towards not immediately filling job positions in the town government that open up due to retirement. I believe that the voters will accept fewer services from town government for a lower tax rate. Additionally we must work as a team with our state reps and senator to change the retirement funding to make it fair to the taxpayers and employees.

I ask you for your support on election day March 11th if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at mokeefe12@comcast.net

As Town Councilor I cannot run the town, but will ensure the town runs better.
Sincerely
Sean O’Keefe

O’Keefe on Space Economic Development & Contracts

For the past several years the community has been purchasing open space with a series of bonds. Many of its supporters advocated for this program based on the tax savings. Over the past two years I have worked, along with other members of the Budget Committee, to analyze the program and the savings. What we found is that no such savings could be substantiated. As a result of these studies and other efforts, the Capital Planning Committee has taken the annual Open Space bond out of the plan for the next few years. I support that course of action as it allows us to focus on our community’s real needs such as the South School project and the North Fire Station.

The latest buzz is about Economic Development. There are those that think if we build all the necessary roads and infrastructure the businesses will all come knocking on the door, wanting to be in Londonderry. There are those that support TIF districts as a method of getting companies to come to Town. Instead of looking at TIFs I believe that we need to focus on the rules that we have set up. Many developers have said that it is just too difficult to build anything in Londonderry with all the restrictions we have in place so they will look elsewhere before coming here. If that’s the case then we should be having serious discussions about the rules and looking for those types of changes that can be made that might promote growth in the appropriate areas. I look around at what has already been developed and believe that we have the right mix in certain areas. I want to focus on those areas where we need more tax positive businesses come in.

The time to do that is now. The state is building the Airport Access Road from Route 3 to the airport. This has the potential to open up the airport area in Londonderry to further development. I think much of this will happen on its own without the taxpayers paying for Petingill Rd or funding TIF districts.

We already have invested in Economic Development, we have a fully staffed Planning Department and I support looking at that department and how it functions. I want to know if there is something else we could be doing? Is this department set up to give us the best return on our investment?

While that is important, it still isn’t the most important thing for a Councilor to focus on. Take a look at your tax bill. 85% of your bill is paying for employee salaries and benefits. The current town council has started to look at costs but has not really taken a hard stance on contracts and raises and the giveaways that are not offered in the private sector. Some people might notice that many companies who gave away so much are no longer in business. I believe that we can do more and still pay our employees fairly.

So what is my plan if I get elected to the Town Council? First and foremost I will work to get our union contracts more in line with the private sector, including continuing the Town’s efforts to get the State to fix the broken retirement system. I will work to analyze all town departments with the focus efficiency and on not replacing employees that retire unless there is a real need. I will push for development in the appropriate areas of town. But most of all I will represent the taxpayers that elect me to serve them and not special interests.