by Frank Schroth

There was a wide variety of issues and topics discussed at last night’s Milton Speaks Candidate Forum; but there was a unanimous answer to a question Pat Desmond, publisher of the Milton Times, asked of all candidates for all offices. All candidates for all offices (Selectman, Library Trustee, School Committee, Park Commissioner) all endorse an override to fund the health costs associated with firefighter Antonio Pickens.

Ms. Desmond first posed the question to the selectmen and added that they had “quietly” slipped it before the town.Keohane didn’t agree that they had done it quietly. But that was the only minor disagreement on the issue.

There was also perhaps a bit of confusion on the part of the candidates on what the specific issue was. A firefighter was terribly injured in the line of duty some years ago and his care and rehabilitation have been funded by the town. This is both a legal and moral obligation. The town had been funding this through bonding. The DOR frowned on that (might have been more like a scowl). IN any event, Town Meeting voted at the annual 2013 town meeting to file a home rule petition that would allow for an override question to be put on the ballot which will happen this fall. The question was never whether the health costs would be funded but how they would be funded. Bonding is not an option. The override will put money into a dedicated fund that will last as long as necessary. You can find coverage of town meeting vote here.

The relevance of Ms. Desmond’s question was not clear to all candidates. One of the library trustee candidates noted that an override to fund a health expense was not really a library matter.

There’s something reassuring to be gained from the universal support of this override initiative from this many candidates – candidates who are competing against each other but on this issue were all united.