Opinion: Dedham Resident Endorses Sarah MacDonald For Selectmen

In a letter to the editor, Dedham resident Jessica Porter endorsed Sarah MacDonald for the Board of Selectmen. The town election is Saturday, April 13.

I still remember my first conversation with Sarah MacDonald. It was about ten years ago, and I’d written the Board of Selectmen a long email with suggestions about how they could improve their communication and scheduling practices, after I learned they had scheduled an important hearing the same time as Oakdale’s Back to School night. I’ve written a lot of emails to Dedham’s elected officials in my day. Usually the response is crickets, but Sarah not only responded, she invited me to have coffee and discuss my complaints.

I’d asked for better communication from the Board, and she modeled that immediately, personally. I left that meeting impressed by Sarah’s approachability, commitment to public service, and genuine enthusiasm for Dedham.

Sarah is a unique kind of leader – while many officials pay lip service to improving communication, Sarah genuinely believes Dedham works better when everyone has a say, and she works to make that a reality. She goes above and beyond to do her homework, solicit multiple perspectives, and make thoughtful decisions. And she inspires others to do the same. I can’t stress enough how important that last point is – much of the work in Dedham is done by volunteers serving on elected and appointed boards. Sarah is the kind of leader who commits to public service out of a passion for making Dedham the best Town we can be, and who inspires others to roll up their sleeves and do the same.

On Saturday, April 13th, I hope you will join me in voting for the candidate who represents the gold standard in encouraging active civic participation: Sarah MacDonald for Selectman.