Opinion: Miller For Tewksbury Selectman

The following is a letter to the editor submitted by Tewksbury resident Bruce Shick.

I can’t claim a long history of involvement or even of paying much attention to local political figures, never mind the idea of endorsing a candidate. In the six years since retiring, however, I’ve taken great interest in what is happening in Tewksbury. More importantly, I’ve begun to understand how things get done in Town, and by whom.

It’s people like Jayne Wellman Miller, whom I met during my first year on the Open Space and Recreation Committee, who make Tewksbury a better run town. I was impressed by Jayne’s command of all subjects related to the Town, by her enthusiasm for improving it, by her willingness to bring others into the process, by her ability to articulate her point of view without diminishing the views of others, and by her true love of the Town. I couldn’t understand the concept of loving your town the first time I heard it. Now I do, in part because of Jayne’s example.

We should all be thankful that people like Jayne, Anne Marie, and Todd are willing to give up a huge amount of their precious personal time to understand the issues and the will of the voters. They do this in order to make the best decisions they can on how to maintain what we have and how to improve what we can within the limited means available. It’s a tall order!

If you’ve gone to Town Meeting the past couple of years, you know Jayne as the Town Moderator. She brings clarity to the issues and the process, with enough intelligent humor to keep it interesting. She is also a founder of Tewksbury Rail Trails, was on the School Committee, and is currently Chair of the Cable Advisory Committee. If you are one of the hundreds of volunteers who show up at different events to contribute to the betterment of the Town, you’ve no doubt seen Jayne there working alongside you.

I believe it is critical to elect the people whose overall approach and values, in concert with those of the other dedicated members of the Board of Selectmen, will result in the best possible decisions on the multitude of issues they face. The issues are often complex and require a lot of study before it’s possible to make an informed decision. Jayne does her research, is able to put things into perspective, and has the benefit of working as an administrator in the Town of Reading for her day job, all of which make her an excellent candidate for one of my two votes in the Saturday, April 6th election.

I encourage everyone in Town to find the time to view the YouTube - Tewksbury Candidates Forum - 03/14/2019 to make a more informed decision. The candidates for Selectmen begin debating at 51:30 on the recording. Their debate lasts roughly 55 minutes.

Your vote very much matters in local elections. If you want to have a say in how the Town is run, casting your vote is probably the most important step you can take.

Bruce Shick

Tewksbury

Related Coverage on Patch:

• Tewksbury Voter Registration Deadline Approaches
• Tewksbury Election: Candidate Profile Of Jayne Wellman Miller
• Selectman Todd Johnson, running for reelection

Are you running for office in Tewksbury on April 6? Contact Dave Copeland at dave.copeland@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Tewksbury Patch.