Why I Support Annie Cameron for Essex BOS

To the Editor,

I am writing this week in full support of Annie Cameron for Essex Board of Selectmen.

I first met Annie the Summer we moved to Essex when I volunteered to help set up the bonfire. There she was, keeping everyone on task. When we went to Town Meetings, there she was offering her straight forward, heartfelt, and sometimes exasperated opinion on just about any topic before us. When Thanksgiving and Christmas season came, there she was running the Pancake Breakfast and the Bobby Decker. When I got interested in school and town finances, there she was pushing for solutions, pushing for engagement, pushing for new voices. There she was. There she is. Wherever you go, somehow Annie is there. Annie is helping.

In and of itself, that willingness and desire to be there...that need to solve problems and make things right...is rare. But it takes more than heart to be on the Board. What makes Annie stand out is that she knows how to help. She has good ideas. When she gets up to speak, it makes sense. When she acts, you can follow her lead. Hers is a common sense approach focused on long term value for the whole of the community. She is fair, wants collaboration, and is willing to look for solutions that maximize benefits for each and every resident.

Annie has principals. She has a firm belief system, knows right from wrong, understands how people should treat one another, and has a vision of what we can accomplish together. Her values are clear. That core philosophy drives her, but it also keeps her flexible on the details. She knows where we want to be, but she actively engages people for new opinions and asks for help to get there.

Annie wears her heart on her sleeve. There is no subterfuge. No games. No spin. That might be a poor trait in a poker player, but it's great for a public servant. When she hears a good idea, you know it. When she's frustrated at the direction that the town is taking, you know it. She believes in transparency and accountability, and you always see where she stands.

It comes down to this...I've got faith in Annie to be an honest and hardworking representative. She has the want to and the ideas to help lead us through challenging times, which are being driven not just by local issues, but also the pressures that the outside world puts on us all. She is not new to the issues, but she offers a fresh approach. There are tangible choices and changes that we can make to improve Essex, and she is a much-needed jolt that can refocus and revitalize us all along that path. That's why I'm writing this letter, that's why I've volunteered to help her, and that's why I'm asking you to vote for my friend Annie on May 12.

Brian Gressler

Essex