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Mission Is to Advocate that Milford Voters Opt Out of Retail Marijuana Sales on September Ballot Question to Ensure a Safe and Healthy Future for Our Kids and Community 

Citizens for Milford, along with community leaders and other Milford residents, has organized Milford CARES (Milford Community Against Recreational Marijuana Retail Establishments), a Ballot Question Committee whose sole mission is to maintain the health, safety, and integrity of the community by informing Milford residents about the consequences imposed by retail sales of recreational marijuana and by advocating that voters elect to prohibit pot shops when they vote on Milford’s Marijuana Ballot Question this September.

Milford CARES Chairperson Donna Niro says, “We certainly respect each person’s right to consume medical or recreational marijuana as allowed by state law. Milford CARES wants to ensure that Milford voters are aware of the potential negative impacts our family community could face if we allow retail pot shops to open here. One particular concern is increased access to edible marijuana products containing high levels of THC, such as cookies and gummy bears, that appeal to kids and are not easily distinguished from their non‑marijuana counterparts.”

Local realtor Joshua Lioce shares concerns regarding Milford’s reputation, “Having retail marijuana shops will work against the image of our town, which will have more of a negative impact not only on real estate values but the image of our community and even our school system.”

Regarding the potential impact on schools, Milford’s School Committee Chairman Joe Morais says, “Edibles are easy to share and conceal, and monitoring products of this nature in schools will be an additional and challenging responsibility for our teachers and administrators.”

Milford’s Special Town Election will be held Tuesday, September 19. The ballot will include only one question, which asks voters if they want to prohibit recreational marijuana retail establishments in Milford. A “yes” vote would prohibit such businesses, but would have no impact on medical marijuana treatment centers or other types of recreational marijuana establishments (such as cultivators, testing facilities, and product manufacturers).

Milford CARES encourages Milford voters to review the content on its web page, which includes the sample ballot, a map of the allowed marijuana zones in Milford, a list of actions being taken in surrounding communities, and relevant links and statistics regarding the community impacts of recreational marijuana on the health of our youth, public safety, and the integrity of the community.

The mission of Milford CARES is supported by all members of the Board of Selectmen; Amy Leone of Community Impact and Milford’s Regional Substance Abuse Program; Milford Public Schools Director of Nursing Judy Dagnese and Wellness Coordinator Lisa White; members of the Milford School Committee; members of the Milford Board of Health; and State Senator Ryan Fattman.

Any Milford resident who is interested in volunteering is welcome to send an email to MilfordMACARES@gmail.com.

Milford CARES will be hosting a public forum the week before the Special Town Election. Details will be announced at a later date.

Citizens for Milford has formed a Community Task Force, Milford CARES (Milford Community Against Recreational Marijuana Retail Establishments), to address the potential for retail sales of recreational marijuana in Milford. This Task Force is a cross-functional team of concerned citizens, local officials, subject matter experts, educators, and health care providers whose mission is to inform Milford residents about facts, concerns, and consequences of retail marijuana sales.

We need the support of other community leaders. Please contact us to let us know how you can help! Simply send an email to us at: MilfordMACARES@gmail.com

Mission Statement

The mission of Milford CARES is to maintain the health, safety, and integrity of our family community by informing Milford residents about the consequences imposed by retail sales of recreational marijuana and by advocating for a YES vote on September 19 to opt out of retail sales of all nonmedical marijuana in our town.

In addition, Milford CARES respects the rights of citizens to consume medical marijuana for compassionate care, as well as the rights of all Massachusetts citizens to consume recreational marijuana as legally allowed by Massachusetts state law.

Learn more on the Milford CARES page on this website.

The Town of Milford will be holding a Special Town Election on Tuesday,
September 19. On the ballot will be one question:

Shall the Town prohibit the operation of Marijuana Retailers, as defined in G.L. c.94G § 1, within the Town of Milford, a summary of which appears below?

SUMMARY:

General Laws Chapter 94G, Section 3, allows cities and towns in the Commonwealth to approve By-Laws or Ordinances prohibiting certain Marijuana establishments to operate. The question above, if voted in the affirmative, would prohibit the establishment of Marijuana Retail Establishments in Milford, such establishments being defined in G.L. c. 94G, § 1 as “…, an entity licensed to purchase and deliver marijuana and marijuana products from marijuana establishments, and to deliver, sell or otherwise transfer marijuana and marijuana products to marijuana establishments and to consumers.” An affirmative vote would not prohibit “Marijuana Cultivators” or “Marijuana Product Manufacturers” as defined in said statute and would not prohibit Medical Marijuana Establishments.  Further, no ban would be in effect until the Town Meeting should pass a By-Law establishing a ban on such establishments.

To view and download a copy of the sample ballot, click here.

Have you visited the Field of Flags yet?

We invite you to visit Draper Memorial Park in downtown Milford and walk through the glorious sea of red, white, and blue that honors our veterans and active military men and women.

The Field of Flags will remain up through Flag Day (June 14).

Each of the 110+ American flags has been sponsored by an individual, family, business, or local organization.

We encourage everyone who visits to read the names that are memorialized on the cards attached to each flag. The flags are placed in alphabetical order, starting at the Park Street entrance to Draper Park and going counter-clockwise.

Flags sponsored in honor of ALL VETERANS are placed behind the WWII Monument. Last-minute flag sponsorships are placed along Park Street, after the Zs.

To download a map that shows the flag locations by first letter of each honoree’s last name, click here.

Learn more about the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags here.

Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags Honors Veterans and Active Military Personnel

Last November Citizens for Milford  partnered with the Milford Corps of the Salvation Army to launch the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags, a tribute acknowledging the service and sacrifice of our veterans and active military personnel with a display of American flags placed in Draper Memorial Park on Veterans Day. Folks who sponsored a flag last November will have their flags redisplayed in Draper Memorial Park on Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day this year. They will be invited to renew their sponsorship for another year after Labor Day in time for Veterans Day 2017.

If you missed out on our first Field of Flags display, you can choose to sponsor a flag in time for this Memorial Day for a $60 donation. If you sponsor a flag now, your donation will place a flag in Draper Park for the following four patriotic holidays:

• Memorial Day
• Flag Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day

To sponsor a flag for the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags project, click here to print a copy of the Field of Flags Order Form. Be sure to complete the form and mail it to the address provided on the form with your $60 check made out to SALVATION ARMY as soon as possible.

If you need to be mailed a copy of the form, please email us at CitizensforMilford@gmail.com.

If you prefer to sponsor a flag for the entire Sponsorship Year of all five patriotic holidays (Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day), then please wait to send your sponsorship form until this coming Labor Day has passed.

Your $60 donation qualifies as a tax-deductible charitable contribution.

Each $60 donation includes a 3′ x 5′ American flag, standing tall on a 10′ staff, in Draper Memorial Park. Each flag will include a yellow ribbon with an attached card naming the person being honored, military branch, years of service, and sponsor’s name. You can choose to sponsor a flag in honor of a veteran (alive or deceased) or an active member of the military. You can also choose to sponsor a flag in honor of all our nation’s veterans.

Please visit the DRAPER MEMORIAL PARK FIELD OF FLAGS page to learn more about this community project.

Volunteers Needed to Help Clean Our Community

Citizens for Milford is organizing the Third Annual Milford Beautification Day, an opportunity for area residents, organizations, and businesses to work together to beautify our community by picking up trash around town. Milford Beautification Day will be held Saturday, April 29^th (rain or shine) from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All interested citizens are invited to meet with organizers anytime between those hours in the parking lot across from Sacred Heart Church (5 East Main Street) to get supplies, instructions, and assignments.

Beautification Day Chairperson Amie Sanborn says, “Last year nearly 200 volunteers joined us to demonstrate their Milford pride in a practical way, simply by picking up trash around our community. We encourage everyone who loves Milford to join us, even for just an hour.”

Families, community groups, churches, local businesses, and teenagers who need to perform service hours are all invited to participate. Younger children are encouraged to attend as long as they are accompanied by a supervising adult. 

Trash bags, gloves, and water will be provided to all volunteers. Many of the supplies are being donated by Republic Services. The Friends of the Milford Upper Charles Trail is co-sponsoring Beautification Day with Citizens for Milford.

In conjunction with the efforts being organized for Beautification Day, Citizens for Milford has also arranged for volunteers from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department Community Service Program to initiate the Beautification Day work by conducting a clean-up on April 27 and 28.

Anyone interested in volunteering or participating in any way on April 29—as an individual, a family, or a group—should contact Amie Sanborn by email at CitizensforMilford@gmail.com. Although it is not necessary to sign up in advance, Sanborn notes that having an idea of the number of interested participants can help ensure enough supplies are available.

The event sponsors are grateful for the assistance and donations provided by the Milford Board of Health, the Milford Highway Department, Republic Services, and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department Community Service Program.

Help us spread the word! Download the flyer.

Friends of the Milford Upper Charles Trail is a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization formed in 2005 to benefit the Town of Milford and surrounding areas, working diligently and in cooperation with the Town of Milford Parks and other departments, various community groups, and interested parties to educate area residents about the recreation and transportation opportunities offered by the Milford section of the trail; promote the use, development, enjoyment, and care of the Milford section of the trail; and raise and expend funds to support trail maintenance and improvements for the benefit of the residents of the Milford area. Information is available on the organization’s website (MilfordTrail.org) and Facebook page.

Just over 17% of Milford voters went to the polls Tuesday, April 4th to participate in this year’s Town Election. Citizens for Milford extends its sincerest gratitude to all the candidates for their commitment and service to our community. We also thank everyone who took the time to vote.

Winners of the five contested races are:

3 Year Selectman: William Buckley
2 Year Selectman: Michael Walsh
Board of Assessors: Joshua Lioce
Planning Board: John Cook
Constable: Nadine Ladeau

Download the 2017 Annual Town Election Official Results (UPDATED 6 April 2017).

Have you always wanted to run for Town Meeting, but didn’t want to collect all those signatures? Well, there’s another way. This year Town Meeting has openings for 3-year seats in every precinct, and you could run for one of them simply by asking voters in your precinct to write in your name and street address when they vote on April 4th.  Here is a list of the open Town Meeting seats in each precinct:

• Precinct 1: 2 Three year openings
• Precinct 2: 3 Three year openings and 1 two year opening
• Precinct 3: 1 Three year opening
• Precinct 4: 5 Three year openings, 1 two year opening, and 1 one year opening
• Precinct 5: 2 Three year openings
• Precinct 6: 2 Three year openings and 1 one year opening
• Precinct 7: 1 Three year opening
• Precinct 8: 3 Three year openings, 2 two year openings, and 1 one year opening

Citizens for Milford hosted its Fourth Annual Candidates Forum on March 16, 2017, which featured candidates in the five contested races (two seats on the Board of Selectmen, as well as one Constable position, one seat on the Board of Assessors, and one seat on the Planning Board) in Milford’s upcoming town election. Each of the candidates presented an opening statement and answered questions from the audience. Recognizing the service of all our town candidates, Citizens for Milford also invited unopposed candidates to attend and to meet voters during the “meet and greet” time at the beginning of the evening.

Citizens for Milford would like to thank all the candidates who participated, as well as the many voters who attended and posed questions. In addition, we extend our gratitude to our co-sponsor The Town Crier for event coverage, Milford TV for event video recording, Milford Daily News for event coverage, and St. Mary of the Assumption Church for use of their Parish Hall.

To watch the forum video, and peruse other pertinent election videos and information, visit the TOWN ELECTION page by clicking the TOWN ELECTION tab.

MILFORD VOTERS! Be sure to make your voices heard and VOTE on Tuesday, April 4th! We look forward to seeing you at the polls.

Candidates Forum Will Be Held March 16^th at 7:00 p.m.
Please join us to meet the candidates and ask them YOUR questions!

Citizens for Milford invites all Milford residents to attend its fourth annual Candidates Forum, which will feature candidates in Milford’s upcoming town election. The Candidates Forum will be held Thursday, March 16^th in the Parish Hall of Saint Mary of the Assumption Church in Milford. Candidates will be available to meet voters starting at 6:30 p.m. The forum will start at 7:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

The forum will feature the candidates in the five contested races (two seats on the Board of Selectmen, as well as one Constable position, one seat on the Board of Assessors, and one seat on the Planning Board) in Milford’s upcoming town election. Each of these candidates will speak for two minutes and then answer questions from the audience. Recognizing the service of all our town candidates, Citizens for Milford has also invited all unopposed candidates to attend and to meet voters during the “meet and greet” time, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Candidates Forum 2016

Citizens for Milford Co‑chairmen John Seaver and Steve Trettel will moderate the event. “The forum provides an ideal opportunity for residents to meet the candidates, hear their ideas for our community, and discover where they each stand on critical issues. We encourage all Milford voters to join us and to come prepared with questions to ask the candidates,” stated Steve Trettel.

Milford voters who are unable to attend the forum are encouraged to email questions in advance to CitizensforMilford@gmail.com. The group will make every effort to ensure those questions are posed to the candidates the night of the forum.

Milford TV will video record the forum and broadcast it in the days leading up to the election on April 4. Citizens for Milford will also provide a link to the video on its website as soon as it is available.

“As Milford’s local newspaper, delivered to all homes and businesses in town, The Town Crier is pleased to be co-sponsoring this event to encourage citizen participation in Milford’s town government,” said Publisher Alfred Holman.

The Parish Hall of Saint Mary of the Assumption Church is located at 17 Winter Street in Milford. Parking is available in the adjacent lot and on neighborhood streets. Main entry into the Parish Hall is located on the side of the building that faces Sumner Street. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.