PERCEPTION

The Lone Selectman concerned about PERCEPTION because the Building Inspector’s name was on a grant application to Partners In Patriotism Fund Grants Committee to ask for money for Sharon Wason Pavilion is laughable. The fund is an annual gift of $100,000 from the Kraft Family to be used to better the town. Not only is Partners In Patriotism Board comprised of more than a dozen Foxborough residents who act independently of anyone with the last name of Kraft, they have awarded grants to many town organizations who have town officials among their leadership.

A sitting Selectman, town historian, school committee member and recreation department employee are on Foxborough Common Flagpole Committee and Lone Selectman didn’t have an issue when they received money from PIP. So too for money awarded to other projects and groups like Sam Berns Community Field, HUGS Foxboro, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, High School Community Warriors, Foxboro Soccer, Touchdown Club, Discretionary Fund and Foxborough Citizen Corps. No questions were raised about those awards. Is there an axe to grind against the Building Inspector? Or against a Kraft?

The concern about PERCEPTION (or “OPTICS”) is claimed to be based on the January 2016 Chandler Jones medical incident and the media reactions, overreactions, and accusations leveled against Foxborough Police Chief and Fire Department. Anyone who reads newspapers, watches news and was not biased towards the Patriots, Krafts, or town departments or knew our chief’s role in stadium security differs from many other stadiums would have seen the headlines and accusations for what they were: baseless accusation. A canard designed to sell newspapers and gain readership. Our local papers did their journalistic duty and reported the whole story.

Wanting a “separation” between those applying for grants and monies and town employees and officials is fine but the way to do it is not lambaste or punish those who did their homework and knew there was not a quid pro quo going on. Employees and committees do (and need to) apply for grants and funding from agencies and organizations. A number of these -railroad, community, state, federal agencies- appear before town boards infrequently. Town boards and groups are given monetary gifts of items of value from individuals and groups in town, across the country, and worldwide. Each town employee and committee member receives ETHICS TRAINING and can contact the town manager, state attorney generals offices or a lawyer anytime. There is also a disclosure form that can and should be filled out. Seems a NO BRAINER……but not in Foxborough. Can it not be as simple as using common sense and town resources?

The Lone Selectman didn’t raise the spectre of OML Violations complaints against Selectmen and their flat out refusal to answer questions about complaints other than denial of any OML Violations. How were those actions perceived? What is the PERCEPTION of treatment of Rte 1 businesses versus those wantig to do same things on 140, Forbes Plaza. What is the PERCEPTION of being concerned with a seperating wall height in a building, end time of 11:15 PM during Monday thru Thursday vs. 11:50 PM on Friday or Saturday, or football games don’t always end by 11:15 PM on Mondy or Thursday nights?

If it’s all about PERCEPTION, maybe an occassional gaze into a mirror will help.

NEW: Police release details of Chandler Jones’ medical emergency http://www.foxbororeporter.com/articles/2016/02/04/news/doc56981adfd1f99805229070.txt

Chandler Jones incident https://www.boston.com/sports/new-england-patriots/2016/01/14/shirtless-chandler-jones-knelt-down-in-police-parking-lot-appeared-to-be-praying-during-medical-incident

BOS Minutes 1-26-16 http://www.foxboroughma.gov/Pages/FoxboroughMA_BOSMin/Minutes%202016/BOS%20Minutes%201-26-16

Foxborough Central Partners in Patriotism https://archive.org/details/FoxCentral106PartPatriotism

Kraft family fund donates $25,000 in grants http://www.foxbororeporter.com/articles/2015/04/09/news/16913444.txt

Partners in Patriotism raises flagpole fund http://www.foxbororeporter.com/articles/2015/12/24/news/18191567.txt

5K to Sam Berns Community Field https://www.fcatv.org/partners-in-patriotism-fund-gives-5k-to-sam-berns-community-field-project/

Partners In Patriotism http://www.gillettestadium.com/partners-in-patriotism

The Question Has Been Answered! https://foxborough.wordpress.com/2014/09/16/the-question-has-been-answered/

Foxborough group accuses selectmen of prejudice against Kraft Group after denial of liquor license https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/south/2013/11/24/foxborough-group-accuses-selectmen-prejudice-against-kraft-group-after-denial-liquor-license/rI8aySAswNK2aO0tNguQyM/story.html

Gillette sessions hit in Foxboro Selectmen face complaints over meeting law talks http://www.thesunchronicle.com/devices/news/local_news/gillette-sessions-hit-in-foxboro/article_ba27ac94-947f-575e-beab-3c64ecd45501.html