Stoughton Select Board Candidate Profile: Jarred Rose

STOUGHTON, MA — Stoughton's town election is April 6. Stoughton Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Jarred Rose is running for a seat on the Select Board. He faces incumbent Steve Cavey, as well as two challengers in Scott Carrara and David Lurie.

Are you running for office in Stoughton Contact Jimmy Bentley at jimmy.bentley@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Stoughton Patch.

Learn a little more about Rose in the profile below:

Age (as of Election Day)

30

Position Sought

Select Board

Family

Wife Lynne, 32, and son, Beckett, 7 months

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Nope

Education

BA from University of Massachusetts Amherst

Occupation

Realtor for 4+ years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Stoughton Town Meeting member, Cultural Council co-chair, and Historical Commission member

Campaign website

www.jarredrose.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I’m running for Select Board because I want us to build a better Stoughton together. As a new father, I’m more aware than ever of the issues we face and what needs to be done to make our town vibrant and safe for our kids. That’s why I’m proud to have the experience and vision to get to work on day one tackling our pressing issues. As a State Senate aide, I built coalitions to pass important legislation and made sure constituent needs were met. Here in Stoughton, I’m an elected member of Town Meeting, the Co-Chair of our town’s Cultural Council, and a member of our Historical Commission. My campaign for Select Board is an extension of my desire to give back to this town that I love.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Our most pressing issue is definitely the COVID pandemic. The next Select Board will need to handle our recovery and, crucially, plan for a post-COVID world. In the short-term, that means facilitating the use of as many sites as possible for vaccine distribution and using newly-administered federal funds to stabilize our budget. In the long-term, we need to ensure a just recovery that leaves nobody behind. To do this, I will work with town leaders and members of the budget committee to prioritize affordability, equity, and government accessibility.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Of the non-incumbent candidates, I believe I am the only one advancing a positive vision for our town that involves forward-thinking solutions. I am committed to addressing the climate crisis, providing affordable housing for all incomes, improving our infrastructure, protecting small businesses, and making our town government more accessible to residents. All of this requires us to look to the future, not to be stuck in the past.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think our local elected officials made the best of a terrible situation. The Select Board’s decision to put together a COVID advisory board made up of doctors, nurses, scientists, and teachers was the right decision. Their willingness to actually listen to that board’s recommendations likely saved lives and helped our town immensely.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My campaign revolves around three major issues: housing affordability, a clean and safe environment, and accessible government. We need to work on alleviating our housing shortage so that our existing residents are not priced out of their homes and newcomers are able to join our thriving communities. As a lifelong environmentalist, I am committed to taking on the climate crisis by transitioning our town to renewable energy and protecting our beautiful parks. Finally, I am committed to making government work better for residents by prioritizing constituent services and making our website user-friendly for everyone.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

One of my proudest accomplishments was the coalition-building I participated in to pass a zoning reform bill through the State Senate. This required engaging with many stakeholders, from municipalities to business owners, to create something that would house working families and better our economy. Being an effective Select Board member requires listening, hard work, and teamwork. I used all of these skills when working to pass this legislation, and here in Stoughton I have employed them time and time again on Town Meeting and the Cultural Council. I intend to continue that approach to leadership as a Select Board member.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Keep focused on your goals and don’t sweat the small stuff.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

At the end of the day, I am motivated by my love of Stoughton and my desire to give back to our community. Everything I do is to create a thriving town for my son, and all of our children, to grow up in. I know we can create a Stoughton for all if we work together.