Author: campaign24_Admin

A message from Holly:

“Did you know…

Somerset lost out on a waterfront restaurant/brewery project

In 2017, our board started lengthy discussions with each other and with the community about the need for a full-time town planner. We were applying for more grants, and acutally missing opportunities to apply because we didn’t have a planner. After a long year of great roundtable discussions with staff, community members, stakeholders, SRPEDD and others, Town of Somerset hired our very first full-time town planner.

Timing was critical, especially with the closing of Brayton Point power plant. We were down to the wire, and we were extremely lucky to have found a planner that both grew up in Somerset, and had decades of experience working with The Commonwealth and other state entities. We were also very lucky that she was also willing to take a pay cut to work here in the town she loved so much.

Our planner hit the ground running in 2018 the week she was hired. She secured a $1.2MILLION Mass Works grant that was crucial for the construction of the Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites. It would not exist today without that grant. I know this because I organized the meeting between the developer, the TA and our new planner.

One of Allen Smith’s first orders of business after he was elected was to get rid of the town planner. Allen Smith being the founder of SOBBP led the charge to end her contract. But that is another discussion for another time.

For all intents and purposes, this post will discuss one of the many ways that my opponent Allen Smith prevented the town from getting a significant amount of revenue (and a really cool restaurant/brewery!)

One of the many projects our planner led was a very lengthy deep-dive into the economic development and revitalization of Slades Ferry District. She formed a sub-committee comprosed of business owners, real estate agents, lawyers, community members, to name a few, and this sub-committee solely focused on brainstorming the redevelopment of Slades Ferry and how to acheive it.

You will probably see these slides being shared — these are slides that started with our town planner and SRPEDD, with which she worked very closely as well. One of the pieces of land in Slades Ferry they all agreed would be a perfect place for waterfront access, walking paths, boat access, and a restaurant/brewery type business. The sub-committee had asked some businesses that they thought might be interested some day, and to their surprise, they found some interest.

This idea of course had to be brought to the Town Meeting floor in order to put the land up for sale. The land itself was appraised at $1 Million in 2019. The tax revenue would have been substantial as well. Of course at the time we did not know who would purchase the land (you don’t know who is going to buy your property until you put it up for sale), but we knew how we would frame the RFP (Request for Proposals) to be sure we got the type of business we wanted (restaurant/brewery, boat access, waterfront walking paths, shared parking, etc.).

The RFP process is a very lengthy process that is also very public. It is a transparent process and all applicants for purchase would have been evaluated publicly. Unfortunately, Allen Smith, his daughter and SOBBP, attending their very first Town Meeting, did not understand how this process works (and did not understand that they would have been included throughout the very lengthy RFP process, that sometimes can take years). They accused me and the town of “back door deals”, they claimed they were “afraid the town would allow a steel shredder there” (which is actually illegal and not allowed in Somerset) because they thought this brewery/restaurant was a way for us to “trick them” into bringing in something industrial. Which we couldn’t do there even if we wanted to…but they were convinced.

The majority of people at Special Town Meeting in 2019 voted in favor of putting this land up for sale, but unfortunately the article required a 2/3 majority and it failed.

Bottom line:

— interested parties walked away, restaurants, breweries, etc.
— we lost out on the sale of $1 Million lot
— we lost out on annual commercial tax revenue
— we lost an opportunity to utilize the waterfront

All of which we can accredit to my opponent, Allen Smith, his daughter, and SOBBP.

If elected, I will continue to find ways to bring great businesses to Somerset and I will also find ways in which we can utilize our waterfront (that is completely under-utilized). It is all part of the Master Plan. We just need a planner (like a football team needs a quarterback), which thankfully we are back on track to hire one soon.

Let’s get back on track, Somerset! I need your help to make this a reality. Thank you for reading. I respectfully ask for your vote on Monday April 8th for Selectman. Thank you.”

#BackOnTrack #votewisley #April8 #stopthebleeding

A note from Holly:

“My opponent doesn’t like the facts and information I am providing because the information clearly shows his weaknesses.

When you don’t like the facts, it doesn’t change the facts or the reality.

My opponent is taking credit for the 56 small businesses below that have opened in town over the past three years. My opponent has mostly only attended ribbon cuttings.

The fact is that cutting a ribbon doesn’t mean that you had anything to do with the actual business. I know he didn’t have influence in bringing these businesses here because I know first hand some of the owners and other agents that helped these folks.

The fact is that while these businesses coming to town is great, and we love and welcome them and encourage our residents to support them, the fact is that the revenue is nowhere near enough to offset the tax increase this year of 16%…which begs the question, “What has my opponent done to bring in substantial revenue?” The answer to that question is, “Nothing”.

The fact is that the opening of these 56 businesses was completely organic. Some are businesses that operate out of residential homes.

My opponent falsely claims that he has “worked tirelessly” to bring in Prysmian and South Coast Wind. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Members of SOBBP, the group that he founded, and his biggest supporters, all support the filing of *another* appeal against Prysmian, which will significantly delay the purchase of the land (that could have been completed years ago). It will delay it so much that it will delay the income of tax revenue, once again. My opponent has never denounced SOBBP or any of the appeals they filed — because he agrees with them. He is changing his tune now because he’s up for re-election. The town has the receipts.

While the Economic Development Committee is nice to have, they don’t have any jurisdiction in town and are just advisory — they come up with ideas and advice. The only person that could have any impact on these ideas and development (which she did while she was here, before Allen got rid of her) is the town planner. The town planner is solely responsible for creating business relationships and bringing in new revenue. That is a fact.

The fact is that my opponent founded SOBBP which has and is still fighting what will be our biggest taxpayer. The fact is that they have delayed and delayed the development of land for what would become our biggest taxpayer, and has delayed it for years.

What has my opponent done to ensure that Prysmian stays in Somerset? We all know that his efforts almost caused them to leave Somerset.

The fact is, because of my opponent and the group he founded, SOBBP, the town is behind three whole years.

The fact is that over the three years my opponent has been in office, the community has seen a DECLINE in new growth by 70%. This is enormous and unacceptable. The past three years have lowered the bar.

When I was in office (even during COVID), our baseline and minimum goal of new growth (which we achieved) was approximately $1,000,000/year. Over my opponents term, due to his policies and actions, we do not have a person who’s expertise and full time role is to focus on bringing in new businesses. Because of this, the past three years have seen a 70% REDUCTION in new growth and tax revenue.

The fact is that my opponent spoke against the town planner role at the last town meeting. He was fighting against the sole person that would (and did) have a full-time role to deliberately bring in new tax revenue and to ensure the businesses stay in Somerset. My opponent attempted to eliminate that position altogether. Thankfully the voters made the right decision.

More to come. Thank you for reading. Let’s get Somerset Back On Track!”

#backontrack #April8 #votewisley

A message from Holly:

“Did you know…

Why I decided to run for office

There are many reasons why I have decided to run this year. Over the next four weeks I will be presenting my platform and reasons for seeking the office of Selectman. Over the next four weeks I will be outlining what we had put in place before my opponent was elected, and what my opponent has dismantled.

We need to get back on track.

We need a board that will promote economic development and growth. We need economic growth to bring in tax revenue. We need to stabilize our tax base.

The last three years have shown a complete decline in economic growth. This decline is a direct result of my opponent’s poor decisions. Your tax bill increase by ~16% this year is a direct result of my opponent Allen Smith’s poor choices.

My opponent Allen Smith continues to believe that Somerset can keep slashing the budget to “cut” our way out of the hole that we are in. I’m here to tell you that he is wrong. We are already bare bones. The next thing that will be cut are our services: police, fire, highway, trash pickup. If it were up to Allen Smith, we would be left with nothing.

We cannot cut our way out of this. That is not how this works. We need to stabilize our tax base by bringing in more revenue, by promoting economic growth.

Some examples of what opponent Allen Smith has dismantled, and had cost the town $MILLIONS (I’ll be outlining these in more detail in the upcoming weeks):

* Got rid of our full time town planner (and grant writer)
* Got rid of our Police Chief who had a spotless record and had to pay two chief salaries
* Pushed out our building inspector
* Pushed out our Town Administrator and paid two Town Administrator salaries for more than a year
* Fought against a waterfront brewery/restaurant development (with boat access and walking paths) on land that was appraised at $1MILLION
* Delayed and is still delaying the development of Brayton Point, which pushes out the collection of tax revenue from what will be our biggest taxpayer

Somerset raised me. I left for Cornell University and then for UC San Diego for my masters in engineering. I’ve worked for Fortune 500 companies and I’ve lived in many places. Somerset will always be home.

When I first moved home, I organized the Raiders Remember event in the former high school building. I was reuniting with so many community members and meeting new ones. I listened to their concerns and fears. I initially ran because I wanted to use my expertise and bring what I had learned back home to help the community thrive. This motivation has not changed.

I resigned in 2021, one year short of my second term. Many may not have heard my resignation speech, or possibly don’t recall why I resigned:

* It had nothing to do with Allen Smith being the founder and president of Save Our Bay Brayton Point.
* It had nothing to do with Allen Smith as a person. I barely know him.

Why resign then?

* I was acutely aware of what Allen Smith and his colleague were about to dismantle, and I wanted no part of this.
* I ethically couldn’t sit with two board members that were about to ruin people’s livelihoods for their own agenda.
* It was much more effective for me to fight from the outside as a resident, since as a selectman, I would have been extremely restricted as to what I could say and do.
* I ethically couldn’t sit with two board members that were about to dismantle everything we had in place to protect the town.

We are on the verge of making strides but we have a person of division that creates division over and over and over again. When is it going to stop?

The bleeding will only stop when you elect me, Holly McNamara, for Selectman on April 8th. Our town depends on it.

I respectfully ask for your support on Monday April 8th.

Let’s get back on track!”

#April8 #Vote #BackOnTrack

Hi friends, FB followers and supporters!

I love you all. I can’t do this without you. And as this campaign starts, I think it’s so important that I am as transparent as possible with everyone.

First thing: this is my personal page. You’ll see some political updates here, but you’ll also see me having fun, socializing, having a drink, traveling…*none* of which should be considered “ammunition” for my opponent. If you want the proper decorum applicable to my election race, you’ll want to follow the Committee to Elect Holly McNamara page. You won’t see any pictures of my photo shoot there. I promise.

I think it is also important that you hear about me, from me, myself, straight from the source. I know my opponent’s camp is brewing some nasty twisted-truth media (they’ve already started), so I’m going to get ahead of it and clarify, right out the gate.

Most of you know me pretty well. I’m very open-book and open-door. I’ve always loved people, and love working with teams. This is part of why I loved being a selectman so much. It has absolutely been some of the best years of my life.

The hard times, however, have been brutal. Most of you have an idea of how badly I was harassed while in and out of office. I was assaulted twice. It got so bad that I didn’t feel comfortable leaving my house. If you think you’ve seen most of it on social media, I’ll say that there is so much more that happened to me, I don’t think I could ever explain all of it. I sold my house because of it. I never felt safe. It hasn’t stopped in 8 years. All of this led to my resignation 3 years ago (I will get into the resignation in a different post).

I made a vow to the town that I would stay involved, since it was much more effective to fight from the outside, and I have.

I have spent the past 3 years working on myself and my health, and it has been liberating.

I never thought I would be running for selectman again, but I knew at some point I would run for some sort of office. I have missed it so much and really am so excited to run again.

That being said, it’s important that you know that every single one of my social media posts have been deliberate. I put them out to the public so they could not be leaked, and they wouldn’t be a surprise.

“But Holly you share so much!”

Believe it or not, there is a LOT that I DON’T share. There is always a time and a place.

“But Holly you shared that photo shoot! It was so revealing! Some of the voters won’t like it!”

I want you to know that I did that for myself. It was a huge accomplishment for me. It was only shared on my personal page. I would never share that on my election page. I hope most people will understand that it was something personal for me, and I was proud of it so I shared it. But just because I did that doesn’t mean that I’m going to show up to a selectmen meeting in a bikini. Again, there is a time and a place!

I also think it is very important to show society that you can be human, you can be different, you can be more than the status quo, and even then you can still run for office to serve your community. It’s 2024 now. We are all adapting. I think it is exciting! This is also why I launched my podcast! We need to keep it real! Always.

“But the bullying! Why would you put yourself through that again?”

Three years out of office, therapy, and lots of down time afforded me the opportunity to heal and to grow. I am really not bothered by the bullies anymore (luckily I’m handling it better now, because they haven’t stopped). I feel bad for them. It is a liberating feeling.

What I am bothered by is being told I should be a “shrinking violet” or “be less” or diminishing whatever I went through. Well-meaning folks sometimes don’t even realize they’re doing it. I just want you to know that I appreciate and feel the love. I truly do. But I simply will not shrink down or be less — I am who I am and I don’t plan to change that. You will always know what you’re going to get. No question (contrary to my opponent, who is only out to serve his SOBBP friends. Examples in another post).

Regardless of which hat I’m wearing (relaxed Holly, social Holly, Selectman McNamara, girlie Holly, tomboy Holly, California Holly…), regardless of any of that, I will always be me. There is a time and a place for each “hat”. I will always do my best to wear the right hat at the right time.

The haters (my opponent Allen Smith’s friends), will smear me over the next six weeks. I’m prepared. They’ve already started.

I do want to let you all know: from 2017-2022 I was self-employed, doing very well, comfortably well, and provided for the family. Dan has osteoarthritis in both knees (surgery soon, we’ve tried everything) and can’t work much at all due to that. It’s debilitating.

In 2021, I sold my house after living there with our family for seven years. Paid movers to move out and to put stuff in storage. Moved again but only stayed a few months (building had issues) and then moved again. It is incredibly expensive to move…

Anyway, in summer of 2022, we took a 3-week trip across the country to move my boyfriend’s son to Montana for school. I was able to pay for the move and the trip, including the two weeks Dan and I took to explore the country on the drive home. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, so I had no problem spending money on that!

When we got home, the work I had been successfully overwhelmed with for 7 years, came to a screeching halt. I was completely out of work. Over the next 6 months, I bled out financially. And then some. All of that said — I have financial problems that I’ve never had before.

It’s completely embarrassing to have financial issues. I used to pride myself on paying every single bill ever. Between COVID and the massive interest rate hikes (directly impacted my business), it’s been tough. Just know that I am handling it very carefully and I’m working hard. I have great lawyers and a great CPA. I also have an incredible new job with The Commonwealth, that I love.

I need to tell you all of that, especially since the haters are already trying to use it to smear me.

If you’ve read it this far, thank you so much. You need to know these things in case there are any questions. I want you to have the information up front.

I will always be unapologetically me, and I promise to always be truthful with you. You have my word.

Thank you again! Love you all.