Mark A. Howland
Encyclopedia
Mark A. Howland is a former representative
to the Massachusetts General Court
from New Bedford, Massachusetts
.
Board of Selectmen
in 1999 and was defeated by Lawrence N. Ashley. In 2000, Howland ran again and defeated incumbent selectman Robert A. Robidoux. He served for one term, from 2000 - 2003. In 2002, he was elected to the Massachusetts House from the 12th Bristol District, and in 2003 he did not seek re-election to the Freetown Board of Selectmen. In 2004, he was defeated in his bid for re-election to the House by Stephen Canessa
, a Lakeville
school committee member. In 2005, Howland moved to New Bedford and ran for mayor against incumbent mayor Frederick Kalisz, Scott Lang, and former mayor George Rogers. Howland was defeated in the primary.
In early 2006, Howland announced the possibility of running again for the State Representative seat that he lost to Canessa in 2004. In June 2006, Howland officially announced his candidacy against Canessa, deciding to run as an independent rather than on the Democrat ticket. He was defeated in the November 7 general election
.
Howland is the owner of Environmental Research Corps in East Freetown
. He is married, and has two children.
Martha Coakley
filed civil charges against Howland for alleged "unscrupulous" business practices in his venture as a wind turbine
supplier. According to Coakley's office, Howland received over $500,000.00 worth of deposits for windmills that he ultimately did not deliver. In addition, those products that he did deliver were, in some cases, alleged to be defective.
In response, Howland defended his actions, stating that he had issued refunds in some instances. He also stated that he was not the installer, but merely the supplier, of the windmills. He cited lack of regulation and the inadequacy of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative as partially responsible for creating the current media attention and legal issues.
The case is being heard by Judge Richard Moses in Fall River
Superior Court.
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
to the Massachusetts General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
from New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
.
Biography
Howland ran for the FreetownFreetown, Massachusetts
Freetown is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,870 at the 2010 census.Freetown is one of the oldest communities in the United States, having been settled by the Pilgrims and their descendants in the latter half of the 17th century. The town once included...
Board of Selectmen
Board of selectmen
The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
in 1999 and was defeated by Lawrence N. Ashley. In 2000, Howland ran again and defeated incumbent selectman Robert A. Robidoux. He served for one term, from 2000 - 2003. In 2002, he was elected to the Massachusetts House from the 12th Bristol District, and in 2003 he did not seek re-election to the Freetown Board of Selectmen. In 2004, he was defeated in his bid for re-election to the House by Stephen Canessa
Stephen Canessa
__FORCETOC__Stephen R. Canessa was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, representing the 12th Bristol District. He resigned to accept the position of executive director for government affairs at Southcoast Health Systems. He is a member of the United States Democratic Party.Rep...
, a Lakeville
Lakeville, Massachusetts
Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...
school committee member. In 2005, Howland moved to New Bedford and ran for mayor against incumbent mayor Frederick Kalisz, Scott Lang, and former mayor George Rogers. Howland was defeated in the primary.
In early 2006, Howland announced the possibility of running again for the State Representative seat that he lost to Canessa in 2004. In June 2006, Howland officially announced his candidacy against Canessa, deciding to run as an independent rather than on the Democrat ticket. He was defeated in the November 7 general election
Massachusetts House elections, 2006
Elections for the Massachusetts House of Representatives were held on November 7, 2006, with all of the 160 seats in the House up for election. The term of Representatives elected is two years, January 2007 until January 2009...
.
Howland is the owner of Environmental Research Corps in East Freetown
East Freetown, Massachusetts
East Freetown is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Added to the town in 1747, East Freetown was originally an outpost settlement of Tiverton, Rhode Island, then a part of Massachusetts. It rests on the shore of Long Pond.- History :East...
. He is married, and has two children.
Windmill controversy
On March 7, 2007, Massachusetts Attorney GeneralMassachusetts Attorney General
The Massachusetts Attorney General is an elected executive officer of the Massachusetts Government. The office of Attorney-General was abolished in 1843 and re-established in 1849. The current Attorney General is Martha Coakley....
Martha Coakley
Martha Coakley
Martha Mary Coakley is the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Prior to serving as Attorney General, she was District Attorney of Middlesex County, Massachusetts from 1999 to 2007....
filed civil charges against Howland for alleged "unscrupulous" business practices in his venture as a wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
supplier. According to Coakley's office, Howland received over $500,000.00 worth of deposits for windmills that he ultimately did not deliver. In addition, those products that he did deliver were, in some cases, alleged to be defective.
In response, Howland defended his actions, stating that he had issued refunds in some instances. He also stated that he was not the installer, but merely the supplier, of the windmills. He cited lack of regulation and the inadequacy of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative as partially responsible for creating the current media attention and legal issues.
The case is being heard by Judge Richard Moses in Fall River
Fall River
-Cities and towns:In Canada:*Fall River, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:*Fall River, Kansas*Fall River, Massachusetts, the largest city with this name*Fall River, Tennessee*Fall River, Wisconsin*Fall River County, South Dakota-Rivers:In Canada:...
Superior Court.
Electoral history
- 1999 Race for Selectman of Freetown, Massachusetts
- Lawrence N. Ashley, 56.5%
- Mark A. Howland, 43.5%
- 2000 Race for Selectman of Freetown, Massachusetts
- Mark A. Howland, 55.5%
- Robert A. Robidoux, 44.5%
- 2002 Race for 12th Bristol Representative, Massachusetts House
- Mark A. Howland (D)
- No opposition
- 2006 Race for 12th Bristol Representative, Massachusetts House
- Stephen R. CanessaStephen Canessa__FORCETOC__Stephen R. Canessa was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, representing the 12th Bristol District. He resigned to accept the position of executive director for government affairs at Southcoast Health Systems. He is a member of the United States Democratic Party.Rep...
(D), 69% - Mark A. Howland (I), 31%
- Stephen R. Canessa