Why I’m Running for Moderator in Manchester

To the Editor,

Although I am running unopposed for the position as Town Moderator, I thought it would be appropriate and helpful if I wrote about my reasons for running.

My first truly direct experience with municipal politics came when I moved to MBTS in 2002 and attended the annual Town Meeting.  I don’t even recall at this point why I went to that particular meeting.  I had no knowledge of the workings or structure of town government at all at that point.  At that meeting I saw Alan Wilson run what I would come to understand was a remarkable standard of civil debate of town issues.  His preparation and explanation of the issues enabled residents to more easily parse the issues and process, and constructively debate and come to consensus.  

That meeting set me on a gradually increasing course of involvement and interaction with town boards, culminating in my running for the Select Board in 2013 and serving on that board until 2022, including several years as its chair.  Over that time I gained considerable experience with town, state and federal laws as they apply to and affect the town, as well as myriad processes and challenges the town deals with.  Serving as the chair of the board in 2020 and 2021, in particular, gave me a fairly unique experience with running large board meetings with interested residents facing unique challenges and contentious issues.  Throughout all that time I looked to the standards set by Alan Wilson, as well as other strong board chairs I had observed, to shape the manner in which I ran discussions and debate.

I have come to deeply respect our small-town form of government.  The participants in Town Meeting are the legislative body of the town, and when they come together and debate, their personal presence, thoughtfulness and civility often make the case one way or the other for complex issues facing residents.

There is no substitute for this, in my mind, that matches the small-town culture that we collectively value.

Likewise I have come to deeply appreciate the manner in which we debate those issues.  If you see fit to elect me to serve as Moderator for the Town, I pledge to you that I will maintain the standard that you have come to expect of Town Meeting over the decades.  I will do everything I can to present the issues and processes with clear explanations, and allow you to debate civilly as you have done throughout the years.  I will communicate clearly ahead of the meetings, and support boards and residents as they navigate the processes related to the meetings.

Besides running Town Meetings, the Moderator also appoints some board members.  Each year the moderator appoints one member of the Finance Committee (FINCOM). Additionally, two trustees of the Affordable Housing Trust (AHT) are appointed to two-year terms by the moderator.  Finally, the moderator appoints the Town’s representative to the Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical school.  

My philosophy with respect to these appointments has two major prongs.  First, appointments should be people with clear and relevant skills/knowledge related to the position.  Second, in the case of the FINCOM in particular but also the AHT, I feel that it is important to maintain a balance within the committee.  When I was on the Select Board, when we made appointments to the FINCOM I would sometimes support appointments of people with whom I would tend to disagree.  These were people who had clear skills, but whose personal philosophies with respect to town finance might differ from mine, and those of other FINCOM members.  The point was to encourage critical debate of the budget within FINCOM so as to get the best general advice and decision making possible, as opposed to creating a committee that might rubber stamp budgets.  It is, of course, important to find people who are capable of coming to consensus without rancor.  This will remain my policy if I am elected moderator—to maintain a balance of thinking within the boards to the greatest extent possible.

In closing, I am asking for your support for me at the elections on May 20 for the position of Town Moderator.  I will do my best to execute the office with the integrity, civility and thoughtfulness that you have come to expect of it and, hopefully, of me.