Westwood Needs Select Board Members Who Can Promote Compromise

Dear readers, I have deleted two replies to this post, which appeared to have a primary intent to promote a particular candidate. Please see Westwood Minute's Community Guidelines on political posts (Guidelines 6 through 9). If possible to edit those comments and repost without an endorsement, please feel free to do so.

I wholeheartedly agree that our next Select Board member must show respect for all viewpoints and a genuine willingness to work collaboratively to reach the best solutions for our town. The right person for this position should have a proven track record and a clear understanding that the Select Board represents all residents of Westwood, not just those on one side of an issue. With many complex, costly, and potentially divisive challenges ahead, Westwood needs a leader with demonstrated experience in governance and oversight, and the ability to work cooperatively with residents, town employees, board members, and volunteers on both the large and small tasks essential to the effective operation of our town government.

I agree; compromise is a lost skill of late. Polarized in our opinions about what is correct or righteous, we unwittingly stop hearing (and caring about) the “other”. We become negative versions of ourselves. Angry, pointing blame outward for all the world’s ills. We must do better, and we can.

In considering the next member to our Select Board, we need someone who doesn’t lose positivity about what could be versus what is … Someone who keeps trying to find the best resolution, without looking back and playing “the blame game”.

Time is of the essence… We are facing critical (and expensive!) Select Board decisions that need careful, experienced navigation to be successfully accomplished. In thinking about the one year Select Board seat up for election, I love both candidates’ passion, but I wonder if one might be better suited for Fincom – to allow time for gaining experience – getting up to speed on the learning curve. I think positivity, and confident “know-how” – born from past experiences and successful accomplishments – might more effectively and efficiently lead the way in the year ahead.

We are navigating difficult, expensive issues. Ideally our Select Board candidates could eventually work together: compromise (and behavior) at its best.