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James
C. Johnston Jr.
During my political career in the Town/City of Franklin, Massachusetts, I ran for and was elected to the offices of: Charter Commissioner, Planning Board, Board of Assessors, Board of Selectmen, and also ran for the office of Franklin Town Councilor and was elected both times I ran, and I was Chairman of the Council. I served as Member and/or Chairman of many appointed boards and committees like: The Finance Committee, various School Building Committees, as Assistant Registrar of Voters, Charter Study Committees, and as Chairman of The Franklin Federal Bicentennial Commission from 1974 to 1976, and dozens of other committees and study-groups as the Town/City could find for use of my services. I wrote four histories of the town, and I worked with hundreds of great people who would make a fantastic catalog of quiet, and some not-so-quiet, civic heroes. Nobody was running for public office on part time boards or committees to earn $5,000.00 to $100,000.00 thousand dollars in stipends for holding civic office.
In Franklin we have no shortage of willing, smart, capable, and worthy citizen-officials who do a very good job serving this town and representing their constituencies very well with the best interests of the community in mind. Many of these people have served in our government for many years and bring a treasure of experience and skill to the offices they continue to fill. We also have a very healthy stream of good citizens who put themselves out there as candidates for public office for the first time. This shows that the state of our civil life in this community is very healthy without the ugly monster of “Fiscal Gain” raising its corrupting head as an influencer for establishing a professional cadre of political office holders who would corrupt the local political system and turn public service into a political career commanding substantial pay for part-time positions.
Some city governments of some of our smallish cities in this Commonwealth are shocking because too many City Councilors in Massachusetts seem to be unable to get out of their own way when it comes to running their municipalities. Some city councils hold a significant number of meetings in secret behind closed doors. Sometimes they have the gall to do this in open defiance of Massachusetts Open Meeting Laws. Some part-time city office holders in Massachusetts seem to get higher than nominal stipends for holding down part-time legislative positions. Here is a short list of salaries paid to these part-time city councilors which you can Google for yourself. Quincy City Councilors’ pay is $30.027.00. Worcester City Councilors’ pay is $33,961.00. Waltham City Councilors’ Pay $21,000.00. Beverly City Councilors’ Pay $11,808.00. Cambridge City Councilors’ Pay $88,536.00, and a Boston City Councilor commands $120,000.00 per annum! I commend our Franklin volunteer tradition of public service. It indeed is in the best tradition of this Commonwealth of Massachusetts which was founded in 1630 as a political system articulated in its formation to best serve all.
This town of mine, this Franklin, Massachusetts, which has been my home since 1944, is a constant source of pride. We draw great people from all over this nation to come and live here, and the life experience they have brought here has enriched us as a community beyond belief. The willingness of good people to serve in town government is both healthy and vital to an active democracy. No bribes, by way of public recompense for part-time-civic-service, are needed in Franklin to induce good people to volunteer for public service on the City Council, School Committee, and other public offices which are as I have stated de facto part-time civic service.
Fifteen good people have offered themselves as candidates for the City/Town Council. Eight candidates have volunteered their candidacy for School Committee. All other elective positions have candidates running to fill the respective offices. A few candidates do run unopposed in each election. If the service of these civic volunteers has been satisfactory, why should they always be opposed for the sake of a contest? Service on the Boards of: Assessors, Health, Planning, and other offices as needed like various commissions that may be on the ballot from time to time, have traditionally drawn dedicated citizens to serve their community for a time when those services are needed.
I take my hat off to all of the civic minded citizens who offer themselves for public duty. Not everyone will be elected, but the fact that good people are willing to serve means that I owe all the candidates my respect. If you don’t win on your first try out, don’t give up. Volunteer your services for various appointed positions, and don’t give up. Run again. Your willingness to serve should be noted.
I am happy that I still live in a community that has enough volunteer citizens willing to serve the interests of the whole community in public office. I congratulate all of my fellow citizens who have offered their time, talent, and wiliness to take some abuse from the ill-intentioned and super critical which I must confess to sometimes being myself. Also, we must remember the people who are now winding-up their service to the community who are not seeking reelection to the offices they now hold. They have served our community, and have earned and merited both our gratitude for their service and our esteem for the work they have done. Please accept my gratitude for your commitment to Franklin and its people. I am happy that in Franklin we don’t have to bribe people to run for public office.
