Colette Aufranc, who cited her financial experience and school volunteer efforts as prepping her for a seat on Wellesley’s Board of Selectmen, won a close Special Election race on Tuesday over two other candidates. Just over half of all registered voters cast ballots.

The preliminary results for the Special Election and State Primary are available on the Town website and are embedded below. Final results, including hand counted and write-in ballot information, will be available later in the week.

Aufranc pulled in 42% of the roughly 7,500 votes cast, followed by Odessa Sanchez and Gwen Baker. Sanchez won 35% of the vote, and was the top vote getter in three of Wellesley’s eight precincts. Aufranc won the other five.

The Special Election was held to fill the seat on the Board of Selectmen vacated by Jack Morgan, who resigned in May because he was moving out of town. Aufranc’s term will last until early March, when the next Annual Town Election is scheduled to take place.

In the state primary, Republican Kevin O’Connor and Democrat Ed Markey won their respective Senate races statewide and in Wellesley. Democrat Jessie Mermell and Republican Julie Hall won the Congressional primaries among Wellesley voters and the statewide results looked to be similar as of about 11:30pm on Tuesday night.

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The polls will be open today (Tue., Sept. 1, 7am – 8pm), for in-person voting. Wellesley voters will cast their ballots for the combined State Primary and Wellesley Board of Selectmen Special Election.

Voters who are in line by 8pm will be allowed to vote. All school-based polling locations have been moved to non-school sites for the 2020 elections:

• New Polling Locations Map
• Polling Locations Change Evaluation Report
• Precincts A (Bates), B (Sprague) and C (Upham) will vote at the Municipal Light Plant at 4 Municipal Way.
• Precincts D (Schofield) and E (Fiske) will vote at the Warren Building at 90 Washington Street.
• Precinct F (Dana Hall) will vote at the Wellesley Village Congregational Church at 2 Central Street.

There are no changes at the below precincts:

• Precinct G will vote at the Wellesley Free Library at 530 Washington Street.
•  Precinct H will vote at the Tolles Parsons Center – Council on Aging at 500 Washington Street.

Don’t know which precinct you’re in? Here’s how to find out where to vote in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

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This Wellesley Election 2020 post is sponsored by the Colette Aufranc Campaign — Colette Aufranc, candidate for the Board of Selectmen. Where experience meets trusted leadership.

Over 100 volunteers in Wellesley have stepped up to support the voting process for the combined State Primary and Wellesley Board of Selectmen Special Election, COVID-19 notwithstanding. From helping with the mailing and processing of the almost 9,000 requests by voters for Vote-by-Mail ballots to staffing the early in-person voting process at the Tolles Parsons Center, the Elections Staff has masked up and made themselves available.

“COVID has made staffing elections more challenging,” Town Clerk KC Kato says. “Fortunately, almost all of our Wardens and Clerks, our precinct Leadership, are returning. They bring many years of experience to elections. We are excited to have a new generation supporting elections. About 30% of the Elections Staff are young adults ranging from 16 years old to 25 years old.”

During in-person voting, all volunteers will be wearing masks, and voters are requested to do the same. As an additional safety measure, in June the town invested in plexiglass for the check-in tables. Social distancing measures will also be in place.

Kato says that most requests for a mail-in ballot were for both the State Primary and the Town Special Election ballots.

Early voting has ended for the State Primary and the Town Special Election, as has mail-in voting. The polls will be open on Tuesday, Sept. 1 for in-person voting.

How to vote in person in Wellesley on Sept. 1

The Wellesley polls will be open on Tue., Sept. 1, 7am – 8pm, for in-person voting. Voters who are in line by 8pm will be allowed to vote. All school-based polling locations are moving for the 2020 elections.

The Board of Selectmen voted on August 4, 2020 to locate the polling locations at non-school sites.

• New Polling Locations Map
• Polling Locations Change Evaluation Report
• Precincts A (Bates), B (Sprague) and C (Upham) will vote at the Municipal Light Plant at 4 Municipal Way.
• Precincts D (Schofield) and E (Fiske) will vote at the Warren Building at 90 Washington Street.
• Precinct F (Dana Hall) will vote at the Wellesley Village Congregational Church at 2 Central Street.

There are no changes at the below precincts:

• Precinct G will vote at the Wellesley Free Library at 530 Washington Street.
•  Precinct H will vote at the Tolles Parsons Center – Council on Aging at 500 Washington Street.

Don’t know which precinct you’re in? Here’s how to find out where to vote in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Board of Selectmen, Q & A round-up

There is a Town Special Election to fill a Board of Selectmen (BOS) position because a BOS member recently moved out of town, vacating his position.

We asked each of the three candidates running for the single spot to answer a few questions to help voters get to know them better. Here are their responses:

Colette Aufranc, Q & A

Gwen Baker, Q & A

Odessa Sanchez, Q & A

The Town of Wellesley depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town.

Wellesley will hold a Special Election on Tuesday, Sept. 1, to fill a seat on the Board of Selectmen vacated by a BOS member who moved out of town.

The Board of Selectmen serves as the chief executive board of the Town, and as such, oversees all matters affecting the interest and welfare of the community. The Board exercises the authority vested in the Town not specifically assigned by law to any other board or office.

Three candidates are running for the single open seat. The candidate elected will serve for a term of six months, to expire at the next Annual Town Election on March 2, 2021

The three candidates running are Odessa Sanchez, Gwen Baker, and Colette Aufranc.

We invited each of the three candidates to answer a few questions about their qualifications and priorities for the Town of Wellesley. Odessa Sanchez’s Q & A is below.

The Swellesley Report: What is your background and what qualifies you for this position?

Odessa Sanchez: I am a wife and the mother of a blended African American and Latinx family. We have lived in Wellesley for 12 years in subsidized housing on Barton Road. My family and I have found Wellesley to be a welcoming and diverse community and are grateful for the wonderful opportunities Wellesley has afforded us.

Since moving to Wellesley, I have volunteered in the school system as a room parent, PTO secretary, School Council Parent (WHS), Dance Committee Chair (WMS), Cheer Coach, Wellesley Housing Tenants Association Vice President, Community Volunteer, and Neighborhood Program Collaborator. I also grew up in Newton and attended public school where I excelled in student government and athletics.

My children quickly assimilated into the Wellesley community and have been involved in Girl Scouts, Little League, varsity school sports, National Youth Football Championship, captains of the cheerleading team, lead performers in school and town stage productions, and championship winners of awards and honors. I have guided my children to lead and to be of service to others.

I am a “people person” with the interpersonal skills for building bridges with citizens from all walks of life. I bring energy, enthusiasm, and a positive mindset to all that I undertake. I am open-minded and love to learn new things. Empowering others to be their best selves is my proven strength as a leader and has found its outlet in building the Wellesley cheerleading team from a small school club to a Raider varsity sport at Wellesley High School. In the dual role of Head Coach and CFO, I successfully utilized my grant-writing, fund-raising, and budgeting skills.

I decided to run because I believe we need a fresh, new perspective on the Board as we build Wellesley’s future during these turbulent and uncertain times.

[Read more…]

The Town of Wellesley depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town.

Wellesley will hold a Special Election on Tuesday, Sept. 1, to fill a seat on the Board of Selectmen vacated by a BOS member who moved out of town.

The Board of Selectmen serves as the chief executive board of the Town, and as such, oversees all matters affecting the interest and welfare of the community. The Board exercises the authority vested in the Town not specifically assigned by law to any other board or office.

Three candidates are running for the single open seat. The candidate elected will serve for a term of six months, to expire at the next Annual Town Election on March 2, 2021

The three candidates running are Gwen Baker, Odessa Sanchez, and Colette Aufranc.

We invited each of the three candidates to answer a few questions about their qualifications and priorities for the Town of Wellesley. Gwen Bakers’s Q & A is below.

The Swellesley Report: What is your background and what qualifies you for this position?

Gwen Baker: I have lived in Wellesley 27 years and am presently on Town Meeting where I’ve served multiple terms. More importantly, I bring 25 years of experience running my own business, that I started based in Wellesley. Our business focuses on high end bespoke insurance solutions and finances the premiums through our own loan servicing company. We work with very successful business owners and entrepreneurs all over the country. I’ve managed budgets, oversaw investment portfolios and have worked collaboratively with attorneys, CPA’s and other advisors to help craft our solutions. My adult sons are overseeing the business day-to-day. I have lived making payroll, managing multiple locations, nationwide travel, all while raising a family as a single parent, providing educations, travel and extracurricular experiences for my sons.

The town of Wellesley needs management and business experience and a perspective like mine to manage a budget of $181 million and a population of nearly 28,000. I believe my skills in understanding management, finance and debt could be invaluable as well as ability to listen to voters and connect with all constituencies in town.

SR: The Wellesley business district has faced challenges recently, as evidenced by several empty storefronts. How can the Board of Selectmen and the Town further support existing businesses and encourage new ones to come into Wellesley?

Gwen Baker: By creating an encouraging business environment, with appropriate incentives. This would involve talking to current landlords of commercial buildings to see what kind of solutions would help them attract tenants. Do they need some tax credits? Tax relief? Can we work collaboratively with outside business groups to promote Wellesley as a business destination? The overall small business environment is challenging right now from the COVID restrictions and the closures. But the economy is picking up as things open.

[Read more…]

The Town of Wellesley depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town.

Wellesley will hold a Special Election on Tuesday, Sept. 1, to fill a seat on the Board of Selectmen vacated by a BOS member who moved out of town.

The Board of Selectmen serves as the chief executive board of the Town, and as such, oversees all matters affecting the interest and welfare of the community. The Board exercises the authority vested in the Town not specifically assigned by law to any other board or office.

Three candidates are running for the single open seat. The candidate elected will serve for a term of six months, to expire at the next Annual Town Election on March 2, 2021

The three candidates running are Colette Aufranc, Gwen Baker, and Odessa Sanchez.

We invited each of the three candidates to answer a few questions about their qualifications and priorities for the Town of Wellesley. Colette Aufranc’s Q & A is below. Gwen Baker’s and Odessa Sanchez’s Q & A will appear pending their responses.

The Swellesley Report: What is your background and what qualifies you for this position?

The Board of Selectmen is the Town’s executive body with significant fiduciary responsibilities. By training, I am a Chartered Accountant (the UK equivalent of a CPA) and worked for twelve years as an auditor with PWC in the UK and USA. I am serving my third year on Wellesley’s Audit Committee and am the current chair. I have also been a Town Meeting Member since 2018. Running for election as a Town Meeting Member and seeking an appointment on the Audit Committee were purposeful steps I took in 2018 to gain a better understanding of Wellesley’s town government and its overall global financial picture.

I have volunteered for years in the community with several organizations including, but not limited to, Sprague PTO, Central Council of PTOs, The Teen Center, Sustainable Wellesley and Wellesley High School PTSO. Since 2006, I have acted as a neighborhood advocate in the redevelopment of Linden Square. This engagement was my introduction to Wellesley’s town
government and through this ongoing work I have learned how to make our residents’ voices heard by the various town boards and how to effect change within Wellesley’s complex government structure.

My background in finance, knowledge of Wellesley’s particular financial situation through the Audit Committee, and experience of Wellesley’s town government prepare me well to join the Board. My personal style of engagement is collaborative, polite, persistent and reasonable — something I think we can all appreciate.

SR: The Wellesley business district has faced challenges recently, as evidenced by several empty storefronts. How can the Board of Selectmen and the Town further support existing businesses and encourage new ones to come into Wellesley?

Colette Aufranc: Wellesley’s business community is facing unprecedented challenges. Our town has shown creativity and flexibility in supporting businesses by installing sanitizing stations, helping restaurants utilize outdoor spaces for dining, eliminating parking charges, working with the Community Fund for Wellesley to source meals for our vulnerable population in partnership with our local restaurants, and obtaining a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transport to establish a “mobile mini parklet” in areas where restaurants do not have easy access to outdoor seating.

[Read more…]