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Candidates Forum to be Held Thursday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. Arrive at 6:30 p.m. for the Meet and Greet with the Candidates.

Citizens for Milford invites all Milford residents to attend its seventh annual Candidates Forum, which will feature candidates in Milford’s upcoming town election. The Candidates Forum will be held Thursday, March 19 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.

Each of the candidates in the four contested races will present a two-minute opening statement and then answer questions. Citizens for Milford will pose the first question then the moderators will invite members of the audience to ask questions of the candidates.

The contested races and candidates include the following:

• Two Seats on the Board of Library Trustees
  Candidates: Edward Bertorelli (incumbent), David Probert, Ann Ragosta, Alfred Spittler, and Scott Vecchiolla
• One Seat on the Board of Selectmen
  Candidates: Joshua Lioce and Thomas O’Loughlin.
• Highway Surveyor
  Candidates: Scott Crisafulli (incumbent) and Jamie Luchini.
• Two Seats on the School Committee
  Candidates: Michael Aghajanian, Jennifer Parson (incumbent), Brendan Rickert, and Frederick Steinmann.

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.

Citizens for Milford Chairman Steve Trettel will welcome the candidates and attendees. Vice Chairman Beverly Swymer and member Jose Costa 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.

Photograph from the 2019 Candidates Forum featuring candidates for School Committee.

Milford TV will video record the forum and broadcast it in the days leading up to the election on April 7. Citizens for Milford will also provide a link to the video on its website as soon as it is available.

The Town Crier newspaper is once again Citizens for Milford’s media partner for the Candidates Forum. “As Milford’s local newspaper, delivered to all homes and businesses in town, The Town Crier strongly believes in encouraging 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.

Census Bureau, Board of Health Officials, and Downtown Revitalization Committee to be Guests at Citizens for Milford’s Public Meeting  at Town Library. All Milford Residents Invited to Attend.

Citizens for Milford invites all residents to attend our first public meeting of the new year on Thursday, January 30 at 7:00 p.m. in the Milford Town Library. A representative from the Census Bureau, as well as Milford Board of Health officials and members of the Milford Downtown Revitalization committee, will be our special guests.

Elie Boutros, a Partnership Specialist with the Census Bureau, will be the first speaker on the agenda, giving a ten-minute presentation regarding the 2020 census. This presentation will be followed by Dr. Jacquelyn Murphy, who took over the reins as Milford’s new Health Officer this past fall. Dr. Murphy will present information about all the services the Board of Health offers the community. Lastly, Ron Pagnini, Chairman of the Milford Downtown Revitalization committee, will share news of their efforts to improve the downtown corridor.

Citizens for Milford Chairman Steve Trettel and Vice Chairman Beverly Swymer will invite attendees to ask questions following each of the three presentations.

“Citizens for Milford organizes a casual public meeting every January with the goal of providing direct access to our public officials. Because the success of our public institutions and committees is critical to all members of our community, we invite all residents to join us on January 30th to learn more about what is happening in Milford and to ask questions of importance to you,” says Chairman Steve Trettel.

The Milford Town Library is located at 80 Spruce Street. The meeting will be held in the library’s Granite and Quarry rooms on the lower level. Limited parking is available at the library. Additional parking is available on Spruce Street and at nearby Stacy Middle School.

Citizens for Milford hosted the Fifth Annual Milford Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, November 29, 2019. Despite the cold, Milford residents young and old joined us to launch the holiday season in historic Draper Memorial Park.

Highlights of this year’s event included the holiday carol sing-along led by members of the Greater Milford Community Chorus, as well as a special visit from Santa Claus.

We extend our sincerest appreciation to every individual, group, and business who helped make the 2019 Milford Christmas Tree and the Lighting Ceremony possible. Thank you Parks Department for your support and assistance with the lighting of the tree–as well as the new special lighting of the park! We continue to extend sincere gratitude to Milford resident and owner of Busy Bee Landscaping Mr. David Sanches who donated and planted the existing tree last year, which serves as a symbol of peace and goodwill to Milford citizens for now and for generations to come. We also express heartfelt thanks to the Greater Milford Community Chorus for leading us all in holiday carols, Red Heat Tavern of Milford for providing hot cocoa and soup, and Milford Public Schools Food Service for donating fresh-baked cookies. Last but not least, thank you Milford Commandery No. 11 stationed at Montgomery Lodge for funding the holiday lighting last year–the tree and its lights are a gift that keeps on giving! Everyone’s generosity and collaboration enabled us to provide the best possible community event this year.

The Milford Christmas Tree will be lit each night throughout the holiday season. If you missed the ceremony, be sure to stop by Draper Park one evening to take in its glow. It’s a beautiful spot for family photos. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

Check out all our photos on our Facebook album.

Milford residents came together on Monday, November 11, 2019 to honor and thank our valiant veterans during the Veterans Day Parade and ceremony. The Milford Medal of Liberty Committee and Citizens for Milford were honored to host this year’s ceremony in Draper Memorial Park at the conclusion of the parade, during which several guests spoke about their own and their families’ military experiences and sacrifices.

We express our deepest gratitude to all our veterans. We also thank all the Milford residents who not only marched and participated in the parade, but also those enthusiastic folks who stationed themselves along the parade route to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans and their families.

Lastly, we also extend sincerest gratitude to the Milford Veterans Services Department and the Milford Parks Commission for enthusiastically supporting both the Veterans Day Ceremony and the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags project. We also thank the leadership and students in the Milford High School Music Department for performing at the Veterans Day Ceremony.

• Watch a video of the parade and ceremony, courtesy of Milford TV.
• See nearly 100 photos of the day’s events on our Facebook page.
• Read coverage in the Milford Daily News.

IMPORTANT! The Veterans Day Ceremony WILL be Held in Draper Park on Monday Following the Parade. PLEASE JOIN US in Honoring Our Veterans.

The Milford Medal of Liberty Committee and Citizens for Milford invite all area veterans and residents to attend the Third Veterans Day Ceremony, to be held Monday, November 11 in Draper Memorial Park, weather permitting. The ceremony will begin immediately following the conclusion of the Veterans Day Parade at approximately 11:00 a.m.

The Veterans Day Ceremony will begin with a prayer from Father Peter Joyce of St. Mary of the Assumption Church, followed by the sharing of war-time stories by area veterans and their families. Medal of Liberty Chairperson Peter Scandone will preside over the ceremony. Music will be performed by the Milford High School Marching Band and a Milford High School quartet.

Making remarks regarding military service will be US Army veteran Steven Petak speaking about his service in Vietnam; Angela Manella Kantor sharing the experiences of her father US Air Force Lt Col Joseph Richard Manella as a prisoner of war during World War II, and Ed Cormier speaking about his brother US Marine Corps Private Eugene Cormier, who was killed in Vietnam during Operation KINGFISHER.

The Field of Flags, a tribute acknowledging the service and sacrifice of our veterans and active military personnel, will be installed in Draper Memorial Park the Wednesday before Veterans Day. Parade and ceremony attendees are invited to walk among the flags and monuments in Draper Park and read the names of the veterans and active military who are memorialized and honored there.

Peter Scandone says, “Generations of Milford men and women have served our community and country honorably and heroically. We encourage all residents to join us for the Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony to show our support and gratitude.”

If the weather is excessively cold or rainy, the committee will hold the ceremony inside at the Italian American Veterans Hall (4 Hayward Field, Milford) following the parade. Notification about this change of venue will be posted on the Citizens for Milford Facebook page and website on Sunday, November 10. If the parade is cancelled due to rain, the Veterans Day Ceremony will be held in the spring following the Memorial Day Parade.

The Milford Medal of Liberty Committee and Citizens for Milford extend sincerest gratitude to the Milford Veterans Services Department and the Milford Parks Commission for enthusiastically supporting both the Veterans Day Ceremony and the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags project. We also thank the leadership and students in the Milford High School Music Department for performing at the Veterans Day Ceremony.

Draper Memorial Park occupies a triangle of land in the downtown Milford area, located at the intersection of Congress Street and Main Street. The park features monuments that list the names of veterans who served during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Standing tall in the park is the statue of General William Franklin Draper by sculptor Daniel Chester French, whose work also includes the massive marble statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The care and management of Draper Memorial Park falls under the authority of the Milford Parks Commission and Milford Veterans Services.

About the Milford Medal of Liberty Committee
The Milford Medal of Liberty Committee is dedicated to honoring the families of all of Milford’s fallen heroes who are qualified to receive the Massachusetts Medal of Liberty. Committee members also work to promote this honor to families in surrounding communities.

In Addition to Reviewing 10 Articles, the Forum Will Feature a Demonstration of Electronic Voting

The Town Meeting Study and Improvement Committee has selected and ranked the Oct. 28^th Special Town Meeting Warrant Articles to be addressed at the October 22, 2019 Pre-Town Meeting Forum from those submitted with the highest number of responses.

The Committee encourages Town Meeting Members and the public to attend and participate in the Forum and thereby become better informed on the issues that will be considered at the October 28, 2019 Special Town Meeting.

The Forum’s goal is to address the 10 selected articles in approximately one and a half hours.

RESOURCES

• Warrant for the October 28th Special Town Meeting
• Ground Rules for the Pre-Town Meeting Forum
• Pre-Town Meeting Forum Agenda

Forum Will Be at 7:00 p.m. in Upper Town Hall. All Invited to Attend!

The Milford Town Meeting Study and Improvement Committee (TMSIC) is sponsoring a Pre-Town Meeting Forum on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in the Upper Town Hall. The Forum is open to the public.

The purpose of the Pre-Town Meeting Forum is to provide an opportunity for Town Meeting members, as well as members of the public, to obtain answers to questions they may have regarding some of the Articles contained in the October 28, 2019 Special Town Meeting Warrant.

• Read the Town Meeting Warrant.
• Read the Ground Rules for the Forum.

Sponsors of Articles will be available to make brief presentations and to answer questions. Participants are encouraged not to advocate for or against a particular Article. No votes or decisions concerning any of the Articles in the Warrant will be made at this forum.

Town Meeting members and the public are requested to indicate which Articles they would like to have addressed. Articles with the highest number of responses will receive special emphasis for discussion.

To submit a request for Articles that you would like to see addressed, please send an email to tmsic@townofmilford.com by October 10. In the subject line please write “Pre-Town Meeting Forum,” and in the body of the email indicate the Article-numbers.

For those who do not use email, please mail the Article-numbers you would like to see addressed to Town Meeting Study and Improvement Committee, Town Hall, 52 Main Street, Milford, MA 01757.

Please note, the forum will include a demonstration of Electronic Voting.

Help us spread the word! Download and share the event flyer!

Number of Flags More Than Doubled Since Project Launch in 2016

Citizens for Milford and the Milford Corps of the Salvation Army will be installing the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags two more times this year. This community project—created to acknowledge the service and sacrifice of our veterans and active military personnel on five patriotic holidays each year—began small with just 78 flag sponsorships four years ago, but has now more than doubled to an expansive display of over 180 American flags.

The Field of Flags will be installed in Draper Park this Wednesday, August 28, in honor of Labor Day, and come down September 12. The flags will return to Draper Park in honor of Veterans Day, going up November 6 and down November 13.

Flag sponsors Stephanie Fino and Stephen Laczenski state, “We are so proud to visit the Draper Park Field of Flags that are displayed during patriotic holidays throughout the year. It is comforting to see our Dad next to all the veterans of all the wars who fought so bravely for our country to secure the freedoms that we enjoy today.”

And flag sponsor Flora Kasparian says, “The Field of Flags keeps Vartan Panagian in his family’s memory. It’s a beautiful sight in Milford….in a town that he loved. Thanks for such a caring project!”

Each flag is sponsored by an individual, family, group, or business for a $60 donation. Sponsors can personalize each flag by providing brief information about the person whom they are recognizing (name, branch of service, dates served, etc.), as well as a photo if desired. Citizens for Milford prints this information on cards and laminates the cards and photos so they can be attached to each flag pole. The laminated cards and photos are typically attached the day after the flags are installed in the ground.

The flags are arranged in Draper Park in alphabetical order, with last names starting with A located in the park entrance off Park Street. Flags that have been sponsored in honor of all veterans are located at the other end of the park behind the WWI monument.

Citizens for Milford and the Salvation Army organize all the work involved in managing the Field of Flags, including everything from maintaining sponsorship information to transporting and storing the flags. Both groups are extremely grateful for the assistance provided by volunteers from other Milford groups. Volunteers from Milford Federal Bank, the Milford Junior Woman’s Club, and Montgomery Lodge, as well as many flag sponsors, often assist with the installation and take-down of the flags. All residents are welcome to help.

“Volunteering for Field of Flags is a humbling and powerful experience. It is a visual reminder of the veterans who have served our country, and the pride we feel, which is reflected in the beautiful display of flags. When I am done helping, I always leave with a grateful heart!” says Cheryl Miller, a member of the Milford Junior Woman’s Club.

Citizens for Milford will be accepting new flag sponsorships next year. Although renewals have been requested before Veterans Day during previous years, Citizens for Milford decided to restructure the sponsorship period to coincide with the calendar year. Therefore, renewal notices will go out in 2020 before the first flag installation.

The majority of funds donated by flag sponsors are used to support the work of the Salvation Army here in Milford, specifically for food assistance and after-school activities for families in need. Citizens for Milford receives a small amount to pay for supplies, such as the yellow ribbons, card stock, and laminating materials. Like the flags, these materials need to be replaced periodically due to weather exposure.

Questions may be emailed to CitizensforMilford@gmail.com.

Draper Memorial Park occupies a triangle of land in the downtown Milford area, located at the intersection of Congress Street and Main Street. The park features monuments that list the names of veterans who served during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Standing tall in the park is the statue of General William Franklin Draper by sculptor Daniel Chester French, whose work also includes the massive marble statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The care and management of Draper Memorial Park falls under the authority of the Milford Parks Commission and Milford Veterans Services. Citizens for Milford is grateful for both office’s enthusiastic support for this project.