To the Editor:
I am writing to ask for your support as a candidate for a seat on the Manchester-by-the-Sea Board of Selectmen. Volunteering is a family commitment; I have the support and encouragement of my wife Marianne. We have been residents here for 21 years; all three of our adult children graduated from MERHS.
I think that most would agree that Manchester is a wonderful town in which to live and raise a family. I want to do what I can to make sure it’s a wonderful town for the next generation.
I’ve been involved in Town activities for some time. I have been a member of the Manchester Historic District Commission for six years, Chair for five of them. I am a member of the Board of the Manchester Historical Museum and Chair the Board of Trustees at First Parish Church. Prior to my arrival in Manchester, I was a member of the Planning Board in Glen Ridge, NJ. It runs in my family; my parents were active in civic affairs in Lynnfield where I grew up, and my grandfather was Chair of the Board of Selectmen in Wakefield for several years.
Our Town is well managed. We have strong schools. Our police, fire, safety, and health departments do excellent jobs and our Town is well-maintained. But the challenges never end. We must constantly seek to be more efficient in managing our resources and evaluate how our services are delivered. Our commercial district struggles. The COVID-19 pandemic makes all of this more difficult. I will work to find creative and fiscally responsible solutions to these challenges.
While our community has been resilient, your opinion is most important. I want to hear what you have to say, what kind of town you want Manchester-by-the-Sea to be. I want to explore ways to make it easier for residents to provide input and offer new ideas. Together we can create a prosperous future for our Town. I ask for your support and vote on June 30.
Thank you.
John Round
Manchester-by-the-Sea
