To the Editor,
My name is Dexter Lee-Viator, and I’m running for Essex Selectman this May.
As a fifth-generation Essex resident, my roots here run deep. My mother, Wendy Viator, was raised here by her parents, Judi Woodman and Pete Lane. My great-grandparents, Gini and Dexter, were fixtures in the community. My great-great-grandfather, Chubby Woodman, started a small roadside clam shack that continues to operate successfully within our family today. Essex is not just where I live, it’s part of who I am.
In 2024, my husband and I bought a home in town. It was and still is a tremendous financial stretch, but it’s an immense privilege to be back in the community that shaped me. For the record, while I may still work some clambakes, I own no stake in the Woodman’s family business.
I graduated from Ipswich High School, earned a bachelor’s and a master’s, then built my career across Massachusetts—from Springfield to Worcester to Boston. Working in higher education, I focused on developing student leaders and fostering meaningful engagement. For the past eight years, I’ve worked in nonprofit food security, partnering with communities to strengthen systems and ensure families have reliable access to healthy food. Across both careers, I learned that strong institutions depend on thoughtful leadership, broad participation, and collaboration across perspectives.
Many people have asked me: Why run for Selectman?
The answer is simple. I love this community, I believe in public service, and I want to bring my experience in engagement and systems-building to the work of guiding Essex forward. To be successful in the years ahead, I believe we must focus on priorities such as:
Diversifying Our Tax Base
Residents shoulder most of the tax burden. According to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, our property taxes formed over 70 percent of Essex receipts in 2025, a higher portion than average over the past 25 years. Meantime, local receipts are less than 10% of annual town revenue. They were over 18% 25 years ago. Good work has been done on local options like the meals tax, but I believe there are more options to explore to spread the burden.
We are fortunate to have many locally owned businesses, but we can do more to promote and support them—through mutually beneficial public events, easing permitting where appropriate, and recognizing that most
business owners are our friends and neighbors. We should make it easier to start and operate a community-scale business. Thoughtful economic development can ease pressure on homeowners while preserving the character and natural environment that make Essex unique.
Longtime residents who built this community should be able to remain here. I am committed to exploring all available options for senior tax relief and working collaboratively with the newly formed committee to identify sustainable solutions.
Strengthening Civic Engagement
Healthy communities depend on participation and trust. Town Meeting is one of our most important traditions, yet warrants are by their nature difficult to digest. While legal requirements must be met, we can communicate more clearly about what is before voters. When people understand the issues, participation increases—and stronger participation leads to better decisions. Other Massachusetts small towns are making great things happen online and via tech-free means for residents who want to stay informed. With a little bit of effort, we can increase transparency into what’s happening between Town Meetings.
Above all, I commit to civility of discourse and respect for townsfolk. Nobody should be greeted with anything less than courtesy at any of our board or committee meetings. We are neighbors, and we are all in this together.
As a member of the next generation, I am deeply invested in ensuring Essex remains financially responsible, civically engaged, and rooted in the traditions that define us. Essex has given my family generations of belonging.
I’m ready to get to work to ensure it remains a town we are proud to call home.
Sincerely,
Dexter Lee-Viator
Essex
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