Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should voters know about you?
My name is William (Bill) Pierce and I am running for Northborough Planning Board. I am born and raised in Central MA. I grew up in Millbury and went to High School at Holy Name (which is now St Paul) in Worcester. I have been married to a wonderful woman for 14 years and we have a set of twins currently at Melican Middle School. We have been living in Northborough for 7 years. While living in Marlborough, I was a member of the local Homeowners Association overseeing 170+ single family type homes. I am currently a board member of Northborough Extended Day Program (NEDP) as well as a newer member of the Open Spaces and Rules / Bylaws Committees in Northborough. I am also a soccer coach of one of the local town soccer teams (GO LIGHTING).
Why are you running?
I have always believed that actions speak louder than words. Anyone can complain about things happening around them, but I prefer to put in the work to change what needs to be changed. More importantly, I am running for my kids. I want to provide a better place for them in the future. That means getting involved. Whether it is spending my spare time coaching or sitting in meetings, helping add my voice and experience to some tough decisions, I am willing to put in the work for my family and the community.
What specific skills/experience/expertise would you bring to your role?
While my professional background and education are in technology, I have particular skills and training in Project Management and Risk Management that will help me as a Planning Board member. My ability to look a large-scale project (like the Master Plan) and focus on a smaller piece to complete is something that comes easily to me. My risk management training is especially important when it comes to “Unintended Consequences”. This helps in my ability to listen to people’s ideas with an open mind. An individual’s idea should NOT be determined by their background or past interactions but by the merit of the idea. We should do the work of finding if the risk outweighs the benefit.
What do you see as three issues facing Northborough?
I think the biggest issue in Northborough is how all the landowners (Business, Industrial and Residential) deal with each other. While they each have their own needs and desires for their land and what they want to do with it, there is very little consideration sometimes for their neighbors. The truck traffic and warehouses is an issue that, I believe, is being addresses. I think the third issue is the inability of our town leaders, and frankly other town leaders around us, to listen and understand what is happening in the town. They sometimes get so caught up in the “numbers” that they fail to see the human side of the equation.
How do you plan to address the issues identified facing Northborough?
What I plan to do for all these issues, is listen to and discuss with everyone involved. I will be the first to tell you that I am not the smartest person on earth. What I am good at is listening to others who are smarter than me in a particular area and understand what their idea is. I want ALL landowners to feel like they can speak up and be heard. But we also must understand that sometimes, our ideas are not the best. We must be willing to forgo out personal ideas for the betterment of Northborough. Listen, be smart and be respectful.
What are your thoughts on the topic of truck traffic in Northborough?
Northborough is in a unique spot within Central MA. We are at the intersection of multiple highways. That makes us desirable for any delivery type of industry. There is nothing we can do about that. What we must do, as town leaders, is work with companies to ensure that their business needs do not interfere with the needs of our residents who want to live in a safe and comfortable environment. I think the first step has been taken, which is attempting to keep delivery type businesses on the outer areas of town and keeping open communications between all landowners. The CMRPC meeting about Bartlett Street, in particular, was very enlightening on this subject and I am glad I took the time to participate last October.
In light of the fact Northborough is approaching build-out, how should Northborough prioritize its approach to its remaining parcels?
While it has been stated a few times that Northborough is approaching build-out. I think there are still many opportunities to change zoning in some areas to allow for other businesses or industries to come into the town. The addition of zoning areas, where “Use Variances” have been used in the past, should be looked at to see if zoning changes make more sense. In locations where businesses have left, build-out can also provide new opportunities. This is where some of the ARPA money can be utilized to provide grants to business.
