Marlborough Patch Candidate Profile: Mark Oram For City Councilor At-Large

MARLBOROUGH, MA — The municipal election is heating up in Marlborough, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Marlborough Patch has asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will publish candidate profiles as Election Day approaches.

Mark Oram is running for a City Councilor at-large seat in Marlborough.

Age

67

Family

Married, three children and a grandson

Position sought

City Councilor at-large

What is your party affiliation?

Unenrolled

Educational background

I attended Marlborough High School, Framingham State College for my Bachelor’s of Science, Boston University for my Masters in Public Health and Leadership courses throughout my career including a six month academy with the Metro West Health Foundation.

Are you originally from Marlborough?

I was born in Marlborough and grew up in Marlborough from third grade onward.

What is your occupation?

Part Time Public Health Agent for the Town of Sherborn for past 40 years and was the full time Public Health Agent for the Town of Ashland prior to my retirement.

Have you previously or currently been elected to an office?

Yes, Marlborough City Councilor for Ward 6 from 1990 to 2002 and Marlborough At Large City Councilor from 2012 to the present.

Why are you running for the Councilor at-large seat?

I enjoy contributing to our Community in my capacity as a City Councilor. My continued goals are to make our Community safe and prosperous. Protecting our Elderly by providing them with services that will keep them in their homes and offer affordable transportation are very important to me. Providing the needed school space and educating our students for their future endeavors,, are critical school services that will benifit our families raising their children in Marlborough.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Being proactive with pemdimg needs, including the need for staffing and facilities for our schools and this includes the need to properly staff our safety and municipal departments.

The next years will be important for making decisions for replacing Richer School and providing a West Side Fire Station. My goal is to review these needs and voting for the most cost effective solutions to address our Community’s needs.

What sets you apart from other candidates seeking this position?

I enjoy working as a team leader with my fellows but offer true representation for the people who voted me into office, especially when it comes to smart growth.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

I look forward to providing my insights and knowledge to move our Community forward including education and service needs to keep residential taxes affordable. Our Community is very attractive to large corporations based on our location, especially our highway access, and the availability of water and sewer connections. These large corporations benefit from these noted services and location and I will continue to support a split tax rate to assure that the larger corporations are paying their fair share of taxes and this will keep our residential taxes lower than the corporate taxes.

How does your experience prepare you for success in this position?

Being a local Ward Councilor and an At Large Councilor, including my background in public health and leadership has been an asset in the past years and I want to offer this knowledge in my opportunity to continue as an At Large City Councilor.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself?

I am available to listen to my constituent’s needs and I will continue to work as a representative for my constituents, including the need to question developers and promote reasonable and smart growth.

See Also:

• Marlborough Patch Candidate Profile: Richard Aldrich For Councilor At-Large
• 'I Will Work For You': Marlborough Candidate Kicks Off Ward 2 City Council Campaign
• Marlborough Patch Candidate Profile: Michael Baker For Ward 5 City Councilor
• Marlborough Patch Candidate Profile: Mark Vital For Ward 1 City Councilor
• Marlborough Patch Candidate Profile: Michael Ossing For Councilor At-Large