Milford 2023 Candidate Profile: Brendan Rickert, School Committee

MILFORD, MA — Milford's spring town election is coming up on April 4, and Milford Patch has reached out to candidates running in contested races to answer questions about why they're running.

In 2023, only races for planning board and school committee are contested, with the latter attracting the most candidates.

Five people are running for seats on the committee, but only one incumbent, Michael Aghajanian, is seeking reelection this year after two-term incumbent Jennifer Parson decided not to run.

Here's what candidate Brendan Rickert said about his bid for school committee — who previously ran for a seat in 2020.

Brendan Rickert, 34, works in business development in the life sciences industry

Relevant experience

Milford Youth Commission, 3 years, currently serving as the chair; Town Meeting Member, Precinct 6, second term; mentor in the Milford Connections Program; clinical exercise physiologist, Sacred Heart University; head cross-country coach, Fairfield University.

Why are you running for a school committee seat this year?

The education of our children is the most important issue in the Town of Milford. As our students' needs change, we need leaders who are forward-thinking and willing to go the extra mile to serve our students, parents, faculty, staff, and administrators to the best of their abilities. The school committee has a lot of important decisions coming up and the experiences I have gained in my current roles around town will be a valuable resource to the committee.

What's one thing you'd like to achieve in 2023 if elected to the school committee?

Secure the approval to move forward on the high school project from the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

What's one thing lacking in Milford schools that you would like to see change?

Our enrollment continues to exceed the building capacity at each of the schools which means we need more classrooms, more teachers and staff to fill those classrooms, and to support the needs of those students.

What's something the district does well, and how would you support that as a member of the committee?

Milford has an excellent retention rate of teachers in the district which means we treat our employees well. I will continue to support our teachers, staff, and administrators by listening to their needs and provide those resources to educate the students of Milford.