Why Am I Running?

In an age where sound bites and instant messaging are so prevalent, the long read may seem a bit out of fashion.  There will be shorter versions and there will be responses to more specific views on town governance in Maynard.  Here is the 5-10 minute read.  Translations will be made available.

Why Am I Running?

When my wife Nan and I found an apartment here in 1994, we had no idea about the character of Maynard until we walked out of that building and wandered through the town. The Little Pusan restaurant was our first stop. This walk was all it took for us to know that we’d made the right decision. Maynard welcomed us from the beginning and we’ve loved it here ever since, as residents, parents and participants in community life. We have a great circle of diverse friends here. When you love a place and its people, you are more willing to help care for it. I am running for the Select Board because I am eager to see Maynard prosper and thrive, and I am ready to channel my energy, my enthusiasm and my expertise towards building an even better Maynard.

A robust and healthy community is measured in part by the extent to which people feel like they belong there. In raising a child, working as a teacher in Maynard for twenty years, and forming strong bonds with other residents, I have come to belong here and plan to stay here. I care deeply about this town.  I am willing to advocate, to complain, to promote, to volunteer, and even more frequently to cheer about our identity as a classic small town, rich in history and rich in empowering neighbors and tightly-knit neighborhoods; moreover, I am dedicated to helping our community to reach its greatest potential in wise and considered ways    

A true community thrives through the efforts of individuals who take on the responsibilities, who lead and volunteer in community groups, who raise families, who join groups of common belief, who build local business, and, yes, who lead local government.  I’m excited to expand my contribution to our community into civic leadership, working as a committed member of a dedicated group of thought-leaders and creative problem-solvers.  

It is one thing to have a deep love of community but what of my capabilities? 

In 1986, following my quest to experience life outside of the comforts of my upbringing, I was assigned to teach at a government school in Suleja, Nigeria. Emerging from 3 years as an engineer in the aerospace industry, teaching was absolutely not what I expected. However, my drive for something vastly different in life won out, and within the first few months of that job, I fell in love with teaching and learning, and teaching became both my passion and my vocation.

During a few more twists and turns in life via London and the States,  I met and married Nan. I worked as a K-12 school teacher of design and engineering, first in Hazel Park, MI (a suburb of Detroit) and then here in the Maynard schools from 1994 through 2014.  The next eight years found me as assistant principal at Fuller Middle School in Framingham, another community that reaffirmed my beliefs about the educational advantages gained through the power of collective efforts and community involvement. These frequently challenging roles boosted my expertise in many fields across the years - communicating, instructing, listening, counseling, negotiating, and occasionally, as needed, cleaning floors.

I taught my students that life is significantly about problems of all kinds, and our abilities to solve these problems. It pays to build the skill sets that ask the right questions, that devise informed solutions, and that do so with a sharp eye on the consequences of thoughtful and considered decisions. On a wider scale, I firmly believe that quality public education is a fundamental service of immense value to our children and, quite literally, to the future of society.  

The skills I acquire are meaningless without a moral compass. My experience of the world is one of undeniable privilege as a middle class white male. Thankfully, I learned early on how to empathize with people whose origins and perspectives are different from mine, not least by taking the time to live amidst different cultures. These influences equipped me with the values and skills I rely on and to respond to what I witness in the world in which I live. 

The Maynard that I envision places kindness as an excellent foundation for building relationships with those around us in the communities we share. Kindness teaches tolerance. Kindness combats hate, and kindness ensures equal rights and opportunities for all.  The Maynard I value works to support those who need affordable housing, sufficient food, heat in the winter and the other essentials and basic rights of a dignified and engaging life.  The Maynard I stand for works to adopt and implement policies that protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions. The Maynard I stand for respects people as much for their differences as for what they may have in common.

How is this relevant to serving on the Select Board?   Imagine walking into the Board meeting room at Town Hall (the Michael Gianotis room).  On the right wall you see framed pictures of the ten community development principles developed to express the Maynard vision of striving for an economically vibrant, welcoming community that values its cultural heritage. Encompassing matters such as land use, village character, protecting ecosystems and managing infrastructure, these principles are founded on a considerable body of historical and current knowledge about Maynard. The great challenge of community action and government is to care deeply and to figure out the pragmatic solutions that transform the words and ideas of our principles into measurable actions.

A key challenge is to figure out how to realize an enlightened vision for a town with limited financial resources. There is a long and worthy list of what town government provides: affordable housing, public safety, quality education, clean water and waste management are among the most high profile of town services. Inevitably, there is competition for resources, differing views on priorities, and differing views on how best to balance short term priorities with long term economic and social development.      

It speaks to the quality of our town that over the years, so many residents have stepped up to volunteer and participate in town governance in all areas of the life of our community, be it in elected office, town employee or advisory capacity on one of many commissions and sub-committees. If elected, I will enter my role as a selectman with a humble and heightened  awareness of a number of the important matters in Maynard. Three among many that stand out for me are affordable housing, a sustainable long-term water supply, and wise debt management.  

Thanks to the teachers who guided me throughout my life, I have learned to read critically, and I have learned to listen and respond in considered ways. I will continue to learn about the affairs of the town. I will strive to present a voice that advocates for a strong Maynard and which continues to nurture and instill a sense of empowerment, engagement and belonging to the many deserving and diverse residents of this town we know and love so well and so deeply.