Here we present three candidate statements for three different elected offices. We thank these individuals for sharing their qualifications and views to help us all make informed decisions during this Town election.

Joan Shaughnessy: School Committee

I ask for the privilege of your vote for Holliston School Committee so that I may continue my passionate advocacy for children and responsible stewardship to the Town.

My motivation for serving on the Committee is firmly rooted in service, which began long before running for this seat. My parents instilled in me from a very young age what they called contendunt excellentiam, striving for excellence in service to others. I have been an active volunteer in the schools, serving on the Miller School Council, as a room parent, Montessori grade captain, Food Pantry liaison, PTO Board Member, Auction co-chair, and PTO President. In my almost three years in the latter post, we raised the capital and I co-authored the final grant that secured funding for the Miller playground. At the same time, PTO was instrumental in funding a three-year technology rollout for classroom smart boards and overhead projectors. My volunteerism outside the schools includes coaching soccer for HYSA, a catechist at St. Mary’s, a member of the Celebrate Holliston Committee, and proud supporter of the Holliston Lions. Since the day I moved to Holliston, I hit the volunteer ground running and have put in hundreds of hours of service, just like my parents before me.

In my six years of service on the School Committee, I have learned about municipal finance, school governance, special education, state mandates, laws, regulations and guidelines, and so much more (who knew Chapter 70 had 15 sections?! I do now…). We are currently in uncharted waters. There is no textbook or white paper on running public schools during a pandemic. It is so important that the next School Committee be armed not only with all this knowledge, which took years to accrue, but how these many parameters inter-related. Time is of the essence in all the complicated contingency planning that has already begun. Knowing how the schools operate within the town will be instrumental in making the difficult decisions that lie ahead, which must be made efficiently and effectively.  

I am proud of the relationships we have built with other Town Boards, working collaboratively for the best outcomes for citizens. While the schools represent a significant portion of the Town’s budget, we are only one cog in Holliston’s wheel: Police, Fire, DPW, Senior Center, Park and Recreation, and Youth and Family Services are all a part of making Holliston hum. No one group is more important than another, and we all have to work together to make data-driven, fiscally responsible choices and live within our means. I’m no Einstein, but I have to agree with him: What is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right.

My background in financial services has been instrumental in working on budgets; those years in management of a large international corporation have helped me navigate working in a multi-faceted organization, where silos must eventually come together and work in unison. I hopped off the corporate treadmill when my oldest child was born and was home with my children full-time when they were young. I started to substitute teach as my children grew, which launched the journey to my current role as full-time educator for the Framingham Public Schools. This experience gives me boots-on-the-ground insight to the challenges and joys of the classroom, the struggles and concerns of families, and how school buildings operate. I see first hand the fruits of investment in social and emotional learning, and how meeting children where they are truly is the best path to growth. 

I am a parent, homeowner, taxpayer and citizen who takes my responsibility of voting and attending Town Meeting very seriously. My fiancée is a 20+ year veteran of the Holliston Fire Department and a small business owner here. We understand in a very personal way the challenges we face as a town. We are honored to serve, and proud to call ourselves Hollistonians.

Scott Ferkler:  Planning Board

My name is Scott Ferkler. I am 37 years old. I have a wife and a 4½-year old son.

I am a lifelong resident of the MetroWest area–I grew up in Hopkinton and since graduating from Bentley University in 2005, have lived in Ashland and Holliston.  I have a business background, and I am currently a finance manager for a local Fortune 500 company. 

In my 15 years’ professional experience, I have had the opportunity to work for several companies ranging from very small to large multi-billion dollar global corporations.  I have had the honor of leading teams of professionals in both accounting and financial functions in increasing levels of responsibility. 

I would love the opportunity to bring my knowledge and expertise to town government. My years of experience in the private sector have taught me how to understand complex problems and drive for solutions that are the most beneficial. 

The Planning Board is an extremely important group that plays a key role in shaping the future of the town.  As a member of the board, I would ensure that decisions are made that would protect the integrity of the town and maintain a high quality of life for town residents, while keeping the tax burden as low as possible. 

I have seen firsthand the mistakes that neighboring towns have made, many of which have had dramatic and wide-ranging consequences for those areas.  I would like to play an active role in helping ensure that our town provides the best quality of life possible and continues to be a place in which my son will be proud to grow up. 

Joshua Mann: Board of Health

Dear Neighbors,

My name is Joshua Mann, and I am humbled to be running as a candidate for the Holliston Board of Health.

When my wife, puppy and I moved to Holliston, we couldn’t help but be excited to put down roots in this amazing community. Part of putting down roots is doing what we can to contribute our experience, skills and expertise to making Holliston even better. For us, our children and our grandchildren.

The combination of my education, experience, passion and ability to engage with people from all walks of life makes me the ideal candidate for this role. My undergraduate education from Carnegie Mellon University in Business Administration and Health Care Policy and Management, followed by my Masters of Public Health degree in Health Care Policy and Management from New York Medical College and more recently my Graduate Certificate from Cornell University in Financial Success for Nonprofits, have all provided me with a solid foundation in the principles of responsible public policy, healthcare communications, behavioral economics and strategic governance.

Public service is a calling that has been close to my heart ever since first serving as a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician in high school. In my professional life, I have devoted my career to serving the public good through healthcare and wellness, by working with patients, families, medical professionals and lay leaders in a variety of capacities.  I currently serve as the Director of Engagement and Outreach for the VHL Alliance, a nonprofit that seeks to Cure Cancer through VHL, a devastating hereditary tumor predisposition syndrome.

If given the opportunity, I plan to lead our community into this new era by using collaborative, innovative, and outside-the-box thinking, along with an evidence-based and results-driven approach. I will explore options for improved local health surveillance and communications tools to enable us to better identify and respond to public health issues quickly and efficiently. I will place a great importance on developing effective engagement and outreach strategies and will work closely with the other Board of Health Members and staff, as well as members of town government and the community, to promote fiscally responsible and meaningful public health policies, programs and initiatives.  Most importantly, I will provide the type of leadership that inspires people to get involved and is a source of confidence, stability and hope for everybody in the community.

I look forward to talking to every resident and working together with you to make sure that Holliston is an example of public health done right, with an abundance of clean water, fresh air and wellness for all. Thank you for your consideration.  Please feel free to contact me through my website at: www.MannforBoH.com

Yours truly, Joshua Mann