The district adopted a “liaison officer” model in 2021 that bases an officer at the local police station, rather than in schools. But the debate over school security measures has flared up again at recent board meetings.
Thomas Franco was an aspiring doctor when he realized that his real passion was policy. While a premed student at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, Franco volunteered at a free health clinic outside of Cleveland. Talking to the patients helped him recognize the societal inequities that lead to poverty and, in turn, poor health outcomes. It was just like this moment where I realized,
OK, if I m going to make a difference, and I am going to change the narrative here, I have to dig deeper, Franco said. That change in direction ultimately helped lead 25-year-old Franco to Rutland, where he lives with his partner, George Hodulik. A first-time candidate, Franco is one of 17 people including three incumbents running for six at-large seats on the city s board of aldermen.