North Andover Candidate Profile: Chris Nobile For Select Board

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover will have two contested races in the March 24 town election: School Committee and Board of Selectmen. North Andover Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Chris Nobile is running for re-election the Board of Selectmen. There are four candidates for two available seats. Nobile's opponents are Alissa Koenig, Laura Bates and Luke Noble. Nobile is a correspondent mortgage banker and was previously a member of the School and Finance Committees.

Are you running for office in North Andover? Contact Christopher Huffaker at chris.huffaker@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to North Andover Patch.

Previously on Patch: Nine File To Run In North Andover Annual Town Election

Chris Nobile

Age (as of Election Day)

61

Position Sought

Selectman

Party Affiliation

Democrat (Not applicable for town elections)

Family

Wife - Suzanne married 24 years. Children - Tyler (17), Corey (20), Roland (33)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Bachelors degree, University of Vermont — major Economics and Psychology. CSS from Harvard University

Occupation

Correspondent Mortgage Banker - 38 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Selectman North Andover — elected 2017
Finance Committee North Andover — appointed 2014
School Committee North Andover — elected 2007

Campaign website

https://www.chrisnobileforselectman.com/

Why are you seeking elective office?

In 2017 North Andover chose to put their faith in me in a highly contested race. I was overwhelmed by the support of my friends and neighbors. Over these three years we have seen amazing progress and have overcome challenges no one could have anticipated. I love it.

There is so much to be done. Know I'm totally invested in seeing some of these major projects completed: Making the Stevens Estate successful, building the community fields project, finding and generating the funds to improve all our schools, and bringing Amazon on board.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

How do we balance the reality of the attractiveness of our town with the very real impact on our daily living? I think we all desire the town to remain financially healthy. Attracting new business, whether Amazon, or the long-desired revitalization of Main Street, is broadly embraced by North Andover residents. We benefit from their services, the opportunity for employment, and the tax revenue which could reduce the burden on homeowners.

Rightly, citizens are also concerned about traffic, cost of services, and impacts on our schools. All of which relate to the Master Plan we recently completed. This is where having the facts and solution-oriented discussions are vital. How we implement that will be driven the citizens of North Andover. As your Selectman, it’s my job to ensure there is diligence, openness and the right expertise to finding the best path ahead.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Experience. I have served terms on the School Committee, the Finance Committee, the NA Soccer Association and with the YMCA. As a selectman for the past three years, I have been intimately involved with finding solutions for issues that impact our schools, our seniors, and our town facilities. My track record of engagement and commitment is clear.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Continued transparency of process to ensure the broad range of voices and ideas are heard and considered with respect and value.

Encourage further proactive outreach from Town Hall and services to ensure all residents have, and use the services they invest in with their tax dollars

Advocate for protecting and expanding, where appropriate, conservation land for the future of North Andover.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

North Andover is a financially stronger, more attractive community than in any time in the past 10 years, including the promise of a significant Amazon facility. As a selectman I've been working on your behalf to:

• Help create three years of consensus budgets, with another in progress.
• Complete a centralized kindergarten building helping reduce elementary school class sizes.
• Advocate for building a high-quality senior center with the mission to expand program and services for the nearly 20% of our citizens who are seniors.
• Champion the completion of a long overdue Master Plan based on the feedback of hundreds of residents to control and guide economic development.
• Recruit and hire a talented new town manager.
• Oversee facilities and capital improvement plans including the recruitment of dozens of North Andover resident volunteers for community boards and committees.
• Worked to develop and implement a new mental health support service to provide essential support to residents of all ages.
• Helped to bring in significant grants to make North Andover a designated “Green Community,” as well as for public safety, and infrastructure improvements.
• Hold Columbia Gas responsible and accountable to making reparations to our community following the devastation they triggered.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I’ve always kept in mind how important is to be open and working for a solution, not just a sound bite. That work, to represent our fellow citizens, is clear for folks to see in all the televised meetings in my years to service from School Committee member, to Finance Committee member to serving on your Board of Selectman.

I am thankful for the opportunity to know and serve so many of my North Andover neighbors over these past several years.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.