Laurie Downey: City of Franklin needs a leader rather than a cheerleader

To The Daily Sun,

I would like to thank Gabriel Perry for his article on Sept. 8, titled “Morrill challenging McLaughlin for mayor's seat in Franklin.” 

The author provided a summary of the mayoral candidates and their take on topics that were discussed at the Daniel Webster Way candidate forum. 

For me, the article showcased the stark difference between the two candidates. The challenger, Glenn Morrill, is a lifelong resident of Franklin and has served the community for years. His demeanor is genteel in nature, and he refers to himself as a “cheerleader.”

Mayor Desiree McLaughlin is seeking her second term. Her platform is similar to her first run, accountability, communication, and transparency, with additional tenets of sustainability and structure as these are products of what she has learned during her tenure. 

Anyone whose been involved in Franklin has seen some of the things she and the council had to contend with the past two years, namely, changes in leadership (city and council), funding battles for the schools, essential services, roads, Soldiers Memorial Hall, etc. These are not issues that are for the faint of heart. The mayor has to be ready to lead from day one. 

Franklin needs a leader, not a follower. Cheerleaders have their function. They get the fans fired up for the game and they support the team, but they aren’t the ones doing the hard work of winning on the field. We need someone who can handle the hard work of being in the game. We need someone who can take the hits thrown at them, pick themselves up and get back into the game ... that’s a leader — that’s what Franklin needs. 

On Oct. 7, my vote will be for a leader, not a cheerleader. My vote will be cast for Desiree McLaughlin. 

Laurie Downey

Franklin