ZBA Associate Member Norton Announces Candidacy For Charter Commisioner

FRAMINGHAM, MA - Framingham First Member, Town Meeting Member, and Associate Member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, Joseph Norton has announced he is a candidate for the Charter Commission.

Editor’s Note: Framingham voters will decide a ballot question on March 29, if they want to create a Charter Commission to study Framingham’s form of government. Also on that ballot, Framingham voters will be asked to elect 9 Charter Commissioners. Framingham Patch is allowing every candidate for commissioner to submit an announcement, per the Framingham Patch election policy.

Norton’s release is below:

“As a lifelong resident of Framingham, I had always held a nostalgic view of Framingham remaining a town. After getting involved in town meeting and seeing what is happening from the inside, I quickly came to the reality that our structure of government is inadequate and is holding us back,” said Norton.

Town Meeting suffers from dismal attendance and lack of representation due to vacancies and apathy. There are often seemingly endless redundant debates about the smallest issues and very little discussion on the larger, more complicated and costly, warrant articles. No matter how well intentioned, Framingham’s ¼-billion-dollar budget is too large and complex for a part-time group of volunteers with limited knowledge and understanding of what they are voting for.

“As a member of Framingham First, I have been very active in trying to move Framingham forward by helping to create a Charter Commission to improve Framingham. I personally walked door-to-door and spoke to people all over town to obtain signatures to put the charter commission on the ballot. We were successful in getting almost 6,000 signatures of residents interested in forming a Charter Commission,” said Norton.

Of the 15 largest municipalities in Massachusetts, Framingham is the only one with a town form of government. Without a Mayor, we are not invited to the table when the Governor or the federal government is deciding important matters such as the school funding formula, local aid, response to the opioid epidemic, homeless crisis, among other issues critical to our community.

“A Town Meeting form of government is not appropriate for the size and complexity of Framingham. I look forward to evaluating various government structures and identifying a solution that meets our needs,” said Norton.

Framingham is a great place to live, learn, work and play, however our government structure needs to become more professional, accountable, responsive, and efficient.

Norton was born and raised in Framingham. He attended Framingham Public Schools and Saint John’s High School in Shrewsbury. He is a graduate of Roger Williams University.

Today he lives with his two children in the same house where he and his six brothers grew up. An active member of the local business community, he grew up running Norton Fence, a family- owned business, and is currently a Realtor™ working at MDM Realty, Inc. Additionally, Norton has served as PTO president for 2 years at Hemenway and PTO Vice-President and member or the School Council at Walsh.

Please VOTE YES to create a Charter Commission on March 29 and then VOTE for JOSEPH NORTON as Charter Commissioner.