Citizens for Milford

The TOWN MEETING STUDY AND IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE Is Planning a Town Meeting Forum Wednesday, May 15 at 7:00 p.m. in Upper Town Hall

The Milford Town Meeting Study and Improvement Committee sponsored Pre-Town Meeting Forum will be held on Wednesday, May 15, 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 May 20, 2019 Annual Town Meeting Warrant.

Sponsors of articles will be available to make brief presentations and to answer questions. The meeting is intended to provide knowledge about the various articles and 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 what articles they would like to have addressed. Articles with the highest number of responses will receive special emphasis for discussion.

Read the Warrant.

To submit a request for a particular article(s) that you would like to see addressed, please send an email to tmsic@townofmilford.com by April 17th. In the subject line please write “Pre-Town Meeting Forum,” and in the body of the email indicate the article number(s).

NOTE: The deadline for sending articles to be discussed at the meeting has been extended to April 17.

For those who do not use email, please mail the article number(s) you would like to see addressed to Town Meeting Study and Improvement Committee, Town Hall, 52 Main Street, Milford, MA 01757.

All Milford Residents and Groups Invited to Volunteer to Help Clean Our Community!

Citizens for Milford is organizing its Fifth Annual Milford Beautification Day, Milford’s annual clean-up event, which enables 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 27th (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 municipal parking lot across from Sacred Heart Church (5 East Main Street) to get supplies, instructions, and assignments.

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. 

Event co-sponsor Friends of the Milford Upper Charles Trail will be expanding their Beautification Day efforts this year. In addition to organizing the clean-up of the Trail, they will also be working with interested families to help plant a flower garden near the Trail entry at Louisa Lake.

Beautification Day Chairperson Amie Sanborn says, “I hope that many people, young and old, join us to clean up the streets of Milford on April 27. It is a great way to meet others from the community who take pride in their town.”

Trash bags, gloves, and water will be provided to all clean-up volunteers. Top soil, mulch, and plants will be provided to the volunteers who work on the garden project. The clean-up supplies are being donated by Republic Services, and the Friends of the Milford Upper Charles Trail are donating the planting materials.

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 of main streets around town on April 25 and 26.

Questions regarding any of the Beautification Day efforts may be submitted by email to CitizensforMilford@gmail.com.

The two event sponsors are sincerely 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.

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 (Facebook.com/Friends-of-the-Milford-Upper-Charles-Trail).

Citizens for Milford would like to thank all of the candidates who participated in the Candidates Forum on March 14th, as well as all Milford residents who joined us!

We would also like to thank the pros at Milford TV for video recording the event and St. Mary of the Assumption for allowing the use of your Parish Hall. Look for the video soon and you can hear from Constable candidate Robert Sheedy; Trustees of Vernon Grove candidates Kristen Gardner and Scott Vecchiolla; Library Board of Trustees candidates Stephanie Abisla, Margaret Myatt, and Scott Vecchiolla; School Committee candidates Justin Dulak, James Ligor, Tarik Miranda, RJ Sheedy, and MIchael Visconti; and Board of Selectmen candidates Ami Clifford and Mike Walsh.

GOOD LUCK CANDIDATES during these final two weeks of the campaign!

You can view photos from the event here.

Citizens for Milford invites all Milford residents to attend its sixth annual Candidates Forum, which will feature candidates in Milford’s upcoming town election. The Candidates Forum will be held Thursday, March 14 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 five 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.

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 and Vice Chairman Jose Costa will moderate the event.

“The Candidates Forum provides an ideal opportunity for Milford residents to meet the candidates who are asking for our votes on April 2. We urge all Milford voters to join us and to ask their own questions regarding their own issues of concern,” 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 2. 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.

Watch the Video and Review the Documents at Links Below

Over two dozen Milford residents attended Citizens for Milford’s first public meeting of the year to hear from members of the  Milford Public Schools administration and School Committee on January 16.

Citizens for Milford extends its sincerest appreciation to Superintendent Kevin McIntyre; Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Craig Consigli; English Learner Program Director Jennifer Noorjanian; Special Education Director Lucy Jenkins; High School Principal Josh Otlin; and members of the School Committee for presenting information about what is happening in our schools and for answering extensive questions from the audience.

If you missed the meeting, you can watch the video below. Plus, here are links to important relevant documents:

• Milford Public School’s Long-Range Vision and Strategy Plan
• Milford Public School’s Slide Presentation for CFM Meeting

Milford Public Schools Officials Will Be Our Guest Speakers

Citizens for Milford invites all residents to attend our first public meeting of the new year on Wednesday, January 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the Milford Town Library. Members of the Milford Public Schools administration will be our special guests.

Superintendent Kevin McIntyre; Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Craig Consigli; English Learner Program Director Jennifer Noorjanian; and Special Education Director Lucy Jenkins will present information regarding the school department structure, operations, new initiatives, the English Learner and Special Education programs, and current challenges. Following their presentation, Citizens for Milford Chairman Steve Trettel and Vice Chairman Jose Costa will invite attendees to ask questions of the administrators.

“A key component of Citizens for Milford’s mission is to host casual public meetings that provide direct access to our public officials. Because the success of our schools is critical to all members of our community, we invite all residents to join us on January 16th to meet our school administrators and 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.

Hundreds Attended the 2018 Christmas Tree Lighting in Draper Memorial Park

Citizens for Milford hosted the FOURTH ANNUAL MILFORD CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING on Friday, November 30, 2018. 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 2018 Milford Christmas Tree and the Lighting Ceremony possible. Thank you Parks Department, as well as Milford resident and owner of Busy Bee Landscaping Mr. David Sanches who donated and planted a beautiful new tree that we hope will serve as a symbol of peace and goodwill to Milford citizens for generations to come. We also express heartfelt thanks to Milford Commandery No. 11 stationed at Montgomery Lodge for funding the holiday lighting and decorations, 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. Your generosity and collaboration enabled us to provide the best possible community event this year.

Citizens for Milford is planning the Fourth Annual Milford Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Draper Memorial Park on the evening of Friday, November 30. All Milford residents are invited to arrive at 6:00 p.m. for cookies and hot chocolate. The tree will be lit at 6:30 p.m. This community event is free and open to everyone.

Highlights of this year’s event will include the holiday carol sing-along led by members of the Greater Milford Community Chorus, as well as a special visit from Santa Claus. Santa will arrive at 6:00 p.m. and will visit with kids and families until the event ends at 7:00 p.m. Families are encouraged to take their own photos with Santa.

Citizens for Milford Chairman Steve Trettel states, “Citizens for Milford invites all Milford residents to join us for the fourth year of the Christmas Tree Lighting. The ceremony provides a wonderful opportunity for Milford families and neighbors to gather, even for a short while, as a community to celebrate the peace and joy of the season.”

If it rains or snows heavily on November 30, Citizens for Milford plans to light the tree at 6:30 p.m. but will scale back other activities as needed.

Citizens for Milford is thrilled to be collaborating with Milford Commandery No. 11, David Sanches of Busy Bee Landscaping and Construction, the Greater Milford Community Chorus, Milford’s Red Heat Tavern, and Milford Public Schools Food Service to provide the best possible community event this year.

Draper Memorial Park occupies a triangle of land in the downtown Milford area, located at the intersection of Congress Street and Main Street. Parking is available in lots behind Main Street businesses.

Help us spread the word! Download the event flyer. And let us know you are coming on our Facebook event page.

Wondering how each of the precincts in Milford voted on November 6, click here to read the Unofficial Results from the Town Clerk’s office.

Citizens for Milford is continuing its partnership with the Milford Corps of the Salvation Army to expand 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 to be placed in Draper Memorial Park on five patriotic holidays each year. The next display will be installed this Veterans Day.

All area citizens, organizations, and businesses are invited to sponsor a 3′ x 5′ American flag to fly on a 10′ staff in Draper Memorial Park for a $60 donation. Each flag will include a yellow ribbon with an attached card naming the person being honored, the honoree’s military branch and years of service, and the sponsor’s name. Sponsors can choose to honor a veteran (alive or deceased), an active member of the military, or all our nation’s veterans. Previous sponsors are encouraged to renew their flag sponsorship for another year.

The $60 donation sponsors a flag in Draper Park for all five of the following patriotic holidays: Veterans Day 2018 and Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day 2019.

To sponsor or renew a flag for the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags project, simply complete a sponsorship form and mail it to the address provided on the form with a $60 check made out to the Salvation Army before November 2, 2018. Requests for a printed sponsorship form can be submitted by email to CitizensforMilford@gmail.com.

Field of Flags Chairperson Peter Scandone says, “Since we launched the Field of Flags two years ago, we have accepted sponsorships for nearly 150 flags, each one honoring the heroism of our many local veterans and active duty service members. Our goal is to have every one of those flags renewed and to gather enough new flag sponsorships so that we will be installing 200 flags this Veterans Day.”

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.