The Southborough Board of Health approves and regulates septic systems in town. They’re also concerned with general public health issues. At a candidates evening held last month, the two residents vying for a spot on the Board of Health — Desheng Wang and Mary Lou Woodford — spoke to those different roles.
Here’s a summary of what they told voters.
Desheng Wang
A 6-year resident of Southborough, Wang said this is his third time running for a seat on the Board of Health. He grew up in a small community in China and emigrated to the United States in 1989 where he earned a PhD in civil engineering with a focus on water resources.
Wang said his background is in wetlands issues and working with septic systems. “We have a doctor and a nurse on the board, and they’re a tremendous asset in evaluating public health issues,” Wang told voters. “I can offer an independent assessment of septic design.”
Mary Lou Woodford
With a degree in nursing and an MBA in public health, Woodford told voters she could contribute to the Board of Health in the areas of building healthy communities and coordinating senior care.
A Southborough resident since 1993, Woodford works for the Mass Department of Public Health overseeing programs for uninsured and underinsured adults. In her job she manages a $20M budget, and said being fiscally responsible for the programs she oversees is one of her priorities.
Woodford said she is in touch with what’s happening in public health, and would bring that knowledge to the town. “It’s coming back to healthy communities,” she said. “It’s figuring out ways that everyone in town can benefit from the resources that exist.”
